Abuse Victims Say Church Tried to Buy Their Silence, The Cathnews, December 14, 2011

Abuse Victims Say Church Tried to Buy Their Silence

The Cathnews
December 14, 2011

http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2011/12/14/abuse-victims-say-church-tried-to-buy-their-silence/

In Belgium, the association of victims of clergy sexual abuse (Snap) denounces an attempt by the Catholic Church to hide its crimes through private negotiations. In the 90s and in the following decade, the ecclesiastical hierarchy conducted secret negotiations to pay for silencing the scandal of pedophile priests.

While the court of Ghent continues its process, class action against the Holy See and the Church initiated by the collective complaint lodged by a group of victims of pedophile priests, the diocese in the country are running for cover by focusing on prevention: the seminarians will have to undergo psychological and behavioral tests and meetings with psychologists to reveal any tendencies towards pedophilia. The decision was taken by the Belgium episcopate to prevent the ordination of pedophiles.

Last June, the victims of pedophile priests in Belgium (the first case in Europe) took the Vatican to court. The petition also asked that the court call the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the country, from bishops to religious superiors, who six months ago admitted their moral responsibility and said they were ready to compensate the victims. "The Pope appoints the bishops and has authority over them and this makes him responsible for their mistakes," said Walter Van Steenbrugge, one of the lawyers of the almost eighty victims who decided to take legal action before the court of Ghent.

The shock arrived from the former bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, who, months after having resigned, admitted before the cameras to having abused two of his grandchildren for years and had even played down the impact.