When Bishop Explains Policy on Lying Under Oath, How Do We Know He Is Telling the Truth? Re: Deposition of William Levada

.
On AlterNet now:

(He’s Number Two at the Vatican, in Ratzinger’s old job, in fact he says he's the Pope's long time friend. Yet Cardinal William Levada can barely answer a question when asked what the Catholic Church knew and when in the pedophile epidemic among its priests. The archbishop also won’t answer whether Catholic hierarchy are obliged to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth or not, even when under oath, if it would harm the Church, a policy known in the Vatican as “Mental Reservation.” This story begins with quotes from Jan 2006 deposition of Levada in San Francisco by attorneys from Portland, Oregon:)

William Levada
MR. CLARK: I want to ask you about the concept of mental reservation.
Mr. LENA: I’m going to direct the witness not to answer. SOME DISCUSSION THEN;
Q: Is it a concept with which you’re familiar?
ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM LEVADA (A): Vaguely. It’s not current in my, in my lexicon.
Q: The reason for my question, Bishop, is before we began, you took an oath to tell the truth today. And without meaning to be offensive, i need to ask you, is there anything about that oath and the concept of mental reservation that would allow you, in your own mind, to answer any question today with anything other than the complete truth.
A: I have not read this deposition of mental reservation. Would you like to read me to read t?
Q; No. I’m asking you, based on your understanding of the concept of mental reservation, is there anything about your concept- your understanding of that concept or doctrine that would in any way affect any of the answers that you give me today or the oath that you took?
Mr. LENA: The question is compound.
Mr. CLARK: Q: Is there anything about your understanding of mental reservation that would in any way interfere with the oath that you just gave?

***
To read whole story, click headline below or next few hours it is on Page One of AlterNet under SoapBox. From Kay Ebeling, The City Of Angels Is Everywhere.

Here is entire story on AlterNet:

When Bishop Explains Policy on Lying Under Oath, How Do We Know He Is Telling the Truth? Re: Deposition of William Levada
.