United Nations scolds Catholic Church

By: Chris Zimmer – Columnist, Sophomore

Last Wednesday, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child released a report that made Catholics all over the world realize a dark cloud is hovering over the Holy See.

The U.N. said Canon Law creates an environment that has allowed priests to sexually abuse children and slammed Church teaching in regards to homosexuality, abortion and contraception.

Point 14 of the report, which can be found on the U.N. Rights of the Child website reads, “The Committee recommends that the Holy See undertake a comprehensive review of its normative framework, in particular Canon Law, with a view to ensuring its full compliance with the Convention.”

In other words, the U.N. wants the Roman Catholic Church to change its rules and follow those of the U.N. The basis of this is the Vatican does own territory and a permanent observer status at the U.N. General Assembly, despite lacking the power to vote or propose resolutions.

Christ and the Church have only been built up to be torn down in secular media. Pope Francis was highlighted as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” and was most recently on the cover of Rolling Stone with the caption of “The times they are a-changin’.”

Most media outlets have misquoted and misrepresented Pope Francis and the teachings of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
I believe this report was timed and planned to bring the U.N. to exert control over the Church.

The U.N. wants the Church to hand over the priests guilty of sexual abuse. I agree that probably many bishops, parishes and dioceses have attempted to keep these controversies out of the public eye in America and across the world.

However, I can tell the U.N. doesn’t trust our Church leaders. The following statements are part of journalist Deacon Keith Fournier’s findings of an anti-Catholic agenda in the report published Feb. 5 on Catholic Online:

-“The Committee is concerned about the Holy See’s past statements and declarations on homosexuality which contribute to the social stigmatization of and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents and children raised by same sex couples.”

-“The Committee is seriously concerned about the negative consequences of the Holy See’s position and practices of denying adolescents’ access to contraception, as well as to sexual and reproductive health and information.”

Senator Marco Rubio, who is a devout Catholic, said in an article on the National Review “the U.N. has overreached in its efforts to discredit the Catholic Church’s core teachings” and that “it trampled on the religious-freedom principles outlined in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

I must say I am glad that Rubio made a public statement on the situation and defended the Catholic Church. It’s unfortunate that the Church has been plagued by so many controversies.

However, I believe this looming situation that haunts the Vatican and Catholics’ faith all over the world can be an opportunity to witness the faith we share.