Integrity is arguably essential to the credibility of
religious functionaries—even and especially those with considerable
organizational power. So it was significant that Marie Collins, whom Pope
Francis had appointed to the Vatican’s commission on sexual abuse by clergy and
herself had been a victim of such abuse, resigned on March 1, 2017 due to “fine
words in public and contrary actions behind closed doors.”[1]
Notably, the commission suspended Peter Saunders a year before, “after he
accused the panel of failing to deliver on its promises of reform and
accountability” even including recommendations that the Pope had approved.[2]
What is the basis of the problem? I submit that the conflict of interest that
is inherent in having the clergy of a religious organization hold each other
accountable is, much like industry self-regulation, culpable in this case.
The full essay is at "On the Vatican's Conflict of Interest."
[1] Elisabetta
Povoledo and Gaia Pianigiani, “Abuse
Victim Quits Vatican Commission, Citing ‘Resistance’,” The New York Times, March 1, 2017.
[2]
Ibid.
