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	Vatican Clears Priest of Sex Abuse Allegations By Francesca Vella Malta Independent October 6, 2011 http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=133147 A priest who was investigated by the Curia’s Response Team over sex abuse claims last year has been acquitted by the Vatican, lawyer Louise Anne Pulis confirmed yesterday. But a statement issued by the Missionary Society of St Paul yesterday evening said that, “Since evidence gives rise to serious suspicions, Fr Sciberras is having his Sacred Ministry restricted to be with persons of adult age.” A letter received by the MSSP Superior General Fr Bernard Mangion from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, part of which was published by the MSSP yesterday, read, “…moral certainty has not been attained that Fr Conrad Sciberras is being found guilty of having sexually abused a number of minors in the terms of current Jurisprudence.” As such, a negative decision was given as to whether Fr Conrad Sciberras sexually abused minors, with the caveat. Contacted yesterday, Fr Sciberras’ lawyer Louise Anne Pulis confirmed, “Fr Conrad Sciberras and I were informed about the Vatican’s decision on Tuesday evening. Fr Sciberras had already been acquitted by the Maltese Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal by means of a decree issued on 15 June of this year; the Vatican has now confirmed that decree.” Another three priests had been investigated by the Curia’s Response Team and criminal proceedings were initiated against them. Two of them were recently found guilty of defiling teenage boys at two homes belonging to the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP), while the third, Bro. Joseph Bonnet passed way earlier this year before learning of the verdict. Fr Francesco, also known as Godwin Scerri, 75, and (defrocked) Carmelo Pulis, 66, were given a five- and six-year jail term respectively, but both were granted bail after lodging an appeal. Fr Sciberras, who is also a member of the MSSP, recently filed a judicial protest against one of the St Joseph’s Home sex abuse victims, Lawrence Grech, saying that Mr Grech had lied blatantly and changed his version of events several times. In the judicial protest, the priest noted that there have never been criminal proceedings against him, and he complained about serious sex abuse allegations that Mr Grech made against him. The Curia’s Response Team had investigated the allegations on the insistence of Mr Grech and others, and according to a letter that the victims received from Fr Louis Mallia, the regional superior of the MSSP, the Response Team had found that the allegations against Fr Sciberras and the other priests were “founded”. The investigation was followed by an administrative process and a decree issued by the Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal. Last month, Fr Sciberras’ lawyer told this newspaper: “At this stage the priest is bound to secrecy as far as the decree is confirmed, as this still needs to be confirmed by the Vatican.” Asked yesterday whether the decree can now be made public, Dr Pulis replied in the negative, saying the decree has been filed in the Archbishop Curia’s secret archives. “The case involved witnesses, documentation and evidence. There was inconsistency in the alleged victims’ testimonies as they gave different versions of events,” explained Dr Pulis. Fr Sciberras had already been acquitted by the Maltese Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal by means of a decree issued on 15 June of this year
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