Curia Points to Stand against Abuse by Bishops Mercieca, Cauchi, Times of Malta, August 17, 2011

Curia Points to Stand against Abuse by Bishops Mercieca, Cauchi

Times of Malta
August 17, 2011

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110817/local/curia-recalls-stand-against-abuse-by-bishops-mercieca-cauchi.380643

Archbishop Joseph Mercieca.

The Curia today reacted to comments made about retired Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and recalled a statement he had issued jointly with then Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi when the clerical sex abuse allegations surfaced.

In their statement, on October 8, 2003, the bishops said the Church strongly condemned any form of sexual abuse, particularly when it was committed on children.

The bishops said sexual abuse caused a lot of hardship and harm to victims.

In such cases, particularly when children were involved, the primary consideration was to help and protect the victims.

At the same time, the Church also had the duty to point out that those committing the abuse remained humans with their right to dignity.

Mgr Mercieca and Mgr Cauchi said sexual abuse within the Church ran contrary to the teachings and witness given by Jesus Christ. Therefore, they added, the Church would ask the victims for forgiveness for any hardship and harm they had suffered.

"The Church does not want to hide cases of abuse which involve its members. On the contrary, it seeks to establish the truth about such cases so that all the necessary steps may be taken to curb and stop abuse.

"It was for this reason that, on its own initiative before any other institution, the Church introduced a response team to examine all allegations of sexual abuse while it allowed the freedom to anyone to go to the police if they felt they should do so," the bishops said.

Mgr Mercieca and Mgr Cauchi said the Church understood the interest of the mass media in cases of human hardship such as sexual abuse, especially on children. It also understood the commitment of those journalists who, in an honest way and with responsibility, put such cases before public opinion to strengthen sensibility over such cases and action against such abuse.

However, they added, the Church could not but deplore the way certain sections of the media chose sensationalism and put aside ethical principles.

In the Feast of Christ the King, in November 2003, Archbishop Mercieca said that members of the Church who were involved in sexual abuse were responsible not only for the great harm caused to the victims, but also the harm they caused to the Church.