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	Victims Protest Vatican's Handling of Sexual Abuse The Mercury November 1, 2010 http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5710415 VATICAN CITY: People from across the world who have been abused by priests gathered outside the Vatican yesterday to condemn the Catholic Church's handling of the scandal, its worst crisis in years. Several hundred protesters - victims of abuse and their families - demonstrated at the home of the powerful church before leading a candle-lit vigil leaving personal messages for the Vatican. "This isn't an attack on faith or religion, it's about behaviour and ethics," said Marco Lodo Rizzini, a spokesman for child victims of abuse from Italy's Antonio Provolo institute for the deaf. Sixty-seven deaf-mute children at the Catholic institute in the city of Verona were allegedly abused by priests and lay staff between the 1950s and 1980s. Similar claims have emerged from across Europe and the United States, with the church accused of not acting quickly or firmly against priests involved and even covering up the problem. "Society has failed to address the problem of child abuse by priests, but we can't let this go unresolved, it's time to act," said Bernie McDaid, co-founder of the US group Survivors Voice that is behind the event. "We're hoping to expose the cover-up and ensure children all over the world who suffer abuse receive help," said McDaid, who was abused as a boy by a priest. The protest attracted people from 13 countries. The church is grappling with its worst crisis in recent years since the publication in November 2009 of a report revealing serial abuse of children by priests in Ireland and a subsequent cover-up, with similar cases unveiled in countries including Belgium and Germany. - Sapa-AFP
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