Catholic Church in Croatia Finds Priest Guilty of Paedophilia

New Age
February 21, 2014

http://www.thenewage.co.za/119218-1020-53-Catholic_church_in_Croatia_finds_priest_guilty_of_paedophilia

The Catholic Church in Croatia has found one of its priests guilty of pedophilia, the Zadar diocese confirmed on Friday.

"After careful consideration ... judges found significant (evidence) of punishable acts considering the major moral responsibility of the defendant," the diocese said in a statement, which failed to specify the nature of the priest's punishment.

The sentence marks the first time that the Catholic Church in Croatia has found one of its priests guilty of pedophilia.

The case emerged two years ago when three of Ivanov's victims spoke out about abuse they had suffered as children in the priest's congregation in Bibinje near Croatia's Adriatic coast.

The church has informed Ivanov's victims of the verdict, as well as offering them "special psychological and spiritual assistance."

The abuse occurred between 1983 and 1991. The statute of limitations in Croatia means that Ivanov can no longer be brought to justice.

Croatia is predominantly Catholic, with 86 per cent of its 4.2 million residents registering as Catholic in the 2011 census.