CathNews
June 11, 2010
http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/06/11/accused-priests-sent-abroad-%E2%80%98for-own-good%E2%80%99/
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| Priests during Faisalabad diocese’s 50th anniversary celebrations |
A senior priest at a gathering in Faisalabad, Pakistan, acknowledged there have been a few clerical sex scandals in the diocese, while another said that accused priests may be sent away or even abroad “for their own good.”
“We must accept scandals as a reality,” Father Aftab James Paul told ucanews.com at a day of prayer at Arooj-e-Mriam Church on June 9 to mark the end of the Year for Priests.
During the event, 40 priests shared the challenges of clerical life and acknowledged “a few” shortcomings. They also discussed the Church’s response to sex abuse in Asia, Europe and elsewhere.
“There are cases involving lay people, which go unnoticed, as well as priests,” Father Paul noted. “What matters most is how we bring change into our lives.”
Senior diocesan priest Father Francis Bashir explained that in cases involving priests, the college of consultors explores the optimum way to help the priest involved.
“There have been several minor cases which stressed our bishop,” he said.
In such cases, “for his own good, the person is either sent out of the diocese to avoid the scandal or in some cases, sent abroad,” Father Bashir said.
However, program organizer Vicar General Father Khalid Rashid Asi also pointed to other concerns.
“Nobody is an angel. Religious, like political leaders, are also accused of sexual affairs. People may do this for money or fame,” he told ucanews.com.
Priests also expressed their fears of facing accusations during family visits, particularly given the strict discipline of Islamic culture.
But well-known theologian Father Pervez Emmanuel said that the best way for the Church to maintain its image is by priests “preserving our chastity.”
“Priests embody Christ and are His image; we need be holy because this is what people expect from us,” Father Emmanuel told the priests.
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