The UN has
denounced the Vatican for "systematically" adopting policies allowing
priests to sexually abuse thousands of children.
The UN watchdog for children's
rights said the Holy See must "immediately remove" all clergy who are
known or suspected child abusers.
It heavily criticised the Vatican's
attitudes towards homosexuality, contraception and abortion.
The Vatican has set up a commission
to fight child abuse in the Church.
In a report released on Wednesday,
the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) said the Holy See should open
its files on members of the clergy who "concealed their crimes" so
that they can be held accountable.
The committee said it was gravely
concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes
committed.
It comes after Vatican officials
were questioned in public last month over why they would not release data and
what they were doing to prevent future abuse.
In December, the Vatican refused a
UN request for data on abuse, on the grounds that it only released such
information if requested to do so by another country as part of legal
proceedings.
The Vatican is expected to issue a
statement on the report later on Wednesday. (BBC)
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