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	Church Asks for Forgiveness over Child Abuse The Di-Ve August 3, 2011 http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=85124&newscategory=31 The Roman Catholic authorities in Malta have expressed their sorrow over the sexual abuse of children in its care at St Joseph's Home in Santa Venera, as well as over the excessive time its own investigations into the case took. Two priests, Charles Pulis and Godwin Scerri, were jailed for 6 and 5 years respectively after they were convicted of abusing boys at the Santa Venera home in the early 1990s. In a brief statement, the Malta Archdiocese asked for forgiveness from both the victims and from society, and said that Archbishop Pawlu Cremona would soon meet the victims to ask for forgiveness in person. It urged anyone who was aware of the abuse of minors to report, and insisted that it had strengthened its own internal structures to prevent future abuses, and to deal with them more rapidly if they do occur. In a separate statement, the Missionary Society of St Paul's, which runs St Joseph's Home and which the 2 priests formed part of, announced that Fr Pulis has been defrocked by the Pope – a decision which could not be appealed – although he will remain incorporated in the MSSP. When the allegations first surfaced in 2003, the priest had been barred from public ministry as a precautionary measure. Contact: editorial@di-ve.com
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