By Ariel Zilber | 20 September 2016
Mail Online
The Catholic Church has acquitted an HIV-infected priest who has admitted to raping close to 30 young girls between the ages of five and 10 years old.
According to a bombshell report, which appeared in the Spanish-language news site Urgente24.com, the priest, Jose Garcia Ataulfo, was absolved of any wrongdoing by the Archdiocese of Mexico.
Ataulfo has admitted to sexually assaulting indigenous young girls from Oaxaca, a state in southern Mexico known for its large indigenous population.
The priest has yet to face any criminal charges, most likely due to the significant influence that the Catholic Church wields in Mexico, particularly in areas populated by indigenous ethnic groups.
According to Urgente24.com, only two of the over two dozen rape victims have come forward to denounce the acquittal.
The website Anonymous Mexico reported that the mother of one of the victims asked to meet with Pope Francis in Rome, but she was rebuffed by the Vatican which wrote a letter stating that it considered the matter closed.
Since assuming the papacy in 2013, Pope Francis has said that the Church would remove bishops who cover up sex crimes committed by priests against children.
Russia Today reported this year that new church laws would enable the Vatican to strip clergymen of their positions.
Sexual abuse of minors by priests – and the subsequent cover-ups by bishops and other Church officials – have been widespread in many countries, including the United States.
The issue was thrust into the national spotlight in 2002, when the Boston Globe revealed the extent to which the local archdiocese shielded abusive priests from being exposed to the public even though it knew they posed a danger to young parishioners.
The Globe exposé, which detailed abuse cases that numbered in the thousands over a span of several decades, inspired other victims to come forward, leading to an avalanche of lawsuits and criminal prosecutions.
Not only did the floodgates open in the US, but the Catholic Church was also forced to confront cases in other countries, including Mexico.
In 2004, the Vatican re-opened a prior investigation against Marcial Maciel, who was accused of sexually abusing minors as well as fathering six children by three different women.
Though the allegations spanned decades and the extent of his crimes were known to church officials, it was only in 2006 that the Vatican forced Maciel, one of its most powerful clergymen, to retire from active ministry.
Spotlight Official Trailer #1 (2015)
Catholic League’s Donohue: No Institution ‘Has Less Of A Problem’ With Sexual Abuse Than The Catholic Church
St. Louis Archbishop Says He Didn’t Know It Was Illegal For Priests To Have Sex With Kids
Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook
It is an old disgusting theme in religion; the abuses have raged for centuries. The suffering of 'PEOPLE' is what should matter; not some 'god' that does nothing and goes no where.
This is beyond sickening. Why are these people exempt from these horrific crimes upon our babies. These pedophiles must answer to these crimes by the same courts as everyone else. The Catholic Diocese cant obsolve them of this. Who the hell do they think they are.
If any other adult or pedophile rapes, they usually go to jail. So should one assume that the priesthood is a safe place for rapists and is exempt from accountability. Does this not make the church a dangerous place for the rest of us?
No matter how heinous the violation, the maximum defrocking scenario with full on expulsion, public denunciation or whatever, Catholic priests are forever vested with the power to administer certain sacraments of the church. Extremruncion (sic) at time of death is one. Why is that?
The ordination of a Priest is considered as a "gift from God" and is therefore non-revocable. But that does not mean it can curtailed. Usually, a Priest is sent to a monastery in another country and is no longer to able to work with the public. He can only sever sacraments to his brothers in the monastery and work quietly to aid the church.
They are forgiven of their sins because Jesus Always forgives. How the Government handles it is a different matter. They tend to bend more in some places then others because of how "Church and State Separation" laws are written. Not every country plays by the same rules you could say.
Katee Lee…Is this why many priest doing the same crime because they can be forgiven by the laws of Church? It's sick!! I'm a catholic but sometimes it sicken me to have this kind of leaders. They should know better! They are not a representative of some kind a president or who but the center of the Catholic Faith Beliefs..Somehow as being raise by a catholic i have learn and believe the bible. I respected it and i abide by it. But It would be lie if i say i have no question in the beliefs that have introduce to me. That made me believe and worship.. I have many question regarding the teaching of the catholic church but I believe there is God. Believing would do no harm. But those who preach and doing something against what they are preaching is a sin. It is forgivable yes but i don't think it is not punishable by LAW!