Child Porn NOW Illegal At The Vatican

Pope Francis today "overhauled" the criminal code at Vatican City and NOW the possession of child pornography will send you to Vatican prison, whatever that is.

The legislation covers clergy and lay people who live and work in Vatican City and is different from the canon law, which covers the universal Catholic Church. The bulk of the Vatican's penal code is based on the 1889 Italian code. Many of the new provisions were necessary to bring the city state's legal system up to date after the Holy See signed international treaties, such as the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Also now illegal is the leaking of Vatican secrets.

In an indication of how serious the Vatican considers such confidentiality, the penalties for violations of the new law are stiff: Anyone who reveals or receives confidential information or documentation risks six months to two years in prison and a $2,500 fine; the penalty goes up to eight years in prison if the material concerns the “fundamental interests” of the Holy See or its diplomatic relations with other countries.

Explaining Vatican City

NOM Spokesman Jennifer Roback Morse: Gays KNOW They Are An Abomination

"I’ve noticed in my encounters with men who are same-sex attracted particularly that they have a sense of shame. Have any of you ever noticed this? I’ve noticed that a lot of the people who are very active in the movement to redefine marriage will describe that when they were teenagers that they had a sense of wrongness — of being wrong — and of God thinking they were an abomination, like they all knew that verse. So they have this sense of wrongness and I think that many of them believe that redefining marriage is going to make them feel better. I think they think that if all of us will approve of them that they will feel better. Making yourself feel good about doing something that is deeply wrong for you is not in the end going to work." - NOM spokesman Jennifer Roback Morse, speaking at the Catholic Women's Conference in Florida. Yesterday Morse testified against same-sex marriage before the Illinois House. (Via Zack Ford at Think Progress)

FEMEN Disrupt Speech By Pope

Yesterday topless Ukrainian activists FEMEN disrupted a Vatican City speech by the Pope by disrobing and screaming "Homophobe! Shut up!" at the little man in the window. Police moved in quickly and one woman attending the speech repeatedly smacked a protester with her umbrella. Below is FEMEN's own video of the action, which begins with a strategy session. Cube dwellers should note that there are boobies ahead.

Vatican: The Pope Has Immunity From Testifying In Any Pedophilia Trial

According to a Vatican spokesperson, Ill Papi Nazi has immunity from being called to testify in any pedophilia trial because Vatican City is a sovereign nation and Ratzinger is its head of state.

Dalla Torre outlined the Vatican's strategy to defend the pope from being forced to testify in several lawsuits concerning sexual abuse which are currently moving through the U.S. legal system. "The pope is certainly a head of state, who has the same juridical status as all heads of state," he said, arguing he therefore had immunity from foreign courts. Lawyers representing victims of sexual abuse by priests in several cases in the United States have said they would want the pope to testify in an attempt to try to prove the Vatican was negligent. But the pope is protected by diplomatic immunity because more than 170 countries, including the United States, have diplomatic relations with the Vatican. They recognize it as a sovereign state and the pope as its sovereign head.

Dalla Torre rejected the claim that Ratzinger is ultimately the boss of Catholic bishops and therefore responsible for them: "The Church is not a multi-national corporation. He has (spiritual) primacy over the Church ... but every bishop is legally responsible for running a diocese."

Inserito Scidulam

The Vatican's ATM is in Latin. Other fascinating Vatican tidbits are at the link, such as the fact that Vatican City has the highest crime rate in the world thanks to the pickpockets that prey on tourists.