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From the Washington Post of 5 Feb 2014:

The committee condemned church doctrine that it views as out of step with the principles of human rights and child welfare. In blunt language that was a sharp departure from the polite wording so often embraced by diplomats, the committee took particularly aim at church stances on sexual orientation, reproductive health and gender equality.

“While also noting as positive the progressive statement delivered in July 2013 by Pope Francis, 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 report said.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said “anyone bringing attention to the problem [of sex abuse] is moving toward solving it.” But she strongly criticized the U.N. report for weaving issues like contraception and abortion into the report.

“Unfortunately they weakened it by throwing in the whole kitchen sink,” she said Wednesday. “Those are culture war issues. Sex abuse isn’t a culture war issue – it’s a sin and a crime.”

Of course, who in this church is speaking for which interest group? Pope Francis is firing or reassigning significant numbers of Vatican officials for obvious reasons. The Church has long been suspected of laundering money for the Mafia. Made more obvious by a man hanging by the neck from a London bridge. The Pope recently removed four of five Cardinals in charge of Vatican bank - all having been promoted by previous Pope Benedict. Benedict also has a history of ignoring (in essense condoning) pedophilia even as the head man on this issue during John Paul II's reign.

Bishops are upset because the UN addresses human rights violations that are acceptable in Church doctrine. "How dare they condemn our doctrine" is the response from some Bishops and Cardinals. Real question is, "How dare those clergy protect and condon human rights violations against children." The report only discusses all those issues related to children's human rights.

The report goes beyond pedophilia. It discusses human rights violations against children that also includes gender stereotyping, and attacks on children whose family might even contain LGBT members.

... the right of children to freely express their views constitutes one of the most essential components of children’s dignity and that ensuring this right is a vlegal obligation under the Convention, which leaves no leeway for the discretion of the [Vatican] States parties.

Children freely expressing such goes against current Church doctrine.

The Committee recommends that the Holy See assess the number of children born of Catholic priests, find out who they are and take all the necessary measures to ensure the rights of these children to know and to be cared for by their fathers,

Why should the UN even have to mention this? Priests taking responsiblity should be obvious.

The report moves on to address violence, abandonment, torture, corporal punishement, sexual exploitation and abuse, and other human rights violations of children by the Church. These are all but condoned by both Canon Law and Vatican Law. Specifically cited are the Magdalene laundries in Ireland. No wonder church spokesmen are so distressed after doing almost 20 years of ignoring a previous UN report.

... a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of excommunication, cases of child sexual abuse have hardly ever been reported to the law enforcement authorities in the countries where such crimes occurred

Report pedophilia and the Church will excommunicate you? Why can I not get on Nixon's and the Church's enemies list? Apparently I am too evil.

Of course, the Pope is not all powerful. He can only change so many things. He has inherited a church long condoned for many human right violations. It even protected pedophiles - as Lynn Abraham (Philadelphia DA) proved a decade ago and Seth Williams proves again only last year. Also blantantly exposed in a bankruptcy and prosecution of the LA dioceses. A Pope can only do so much. His latest effort was major - the removal of all but one Cardinal in the Vatican bank. Even the US is investigating the Vatican bank as a major money launder.

From the report:

While being fully conscious that biships and major superiors of religious institutes do not act as representative or delegates of the Roman Pontiff, the Committee nevertheless notes that subordindates in the Catholic religious orders are not bound by obedience to the Pope in accordcane with Canons 332 and 590. The Committe therefore reminds the Holy See that by ratifying the Conventions, it has committed itself to implementing the Convention not only on the terriroty of the Vatican City State but also as the supreme power of the Catholic Church through individual and institutions placed under its authority.

Many in the church have long denied this responsibility; therefore all but condoning human rights violations.

The UN's initial observations of human rights violations were made in 1995. UN is citing and criticizing almost 20 years of insufficient progress by the Church. However one can suspect the UN is empowering this new Pope for a massive house cleaning. This Church contains major power centers that have protected corruption. After 20 years of doing almost nothing, major changes not seen since Pope John XXIII (1960) may be happening.

For 20 years, multiple Popes did nothing; all but condoned corruption. Only one worst example of Church doctrine has been pedophilia.