GERMANY
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Blaine on January 09, 2013
Once again, Catholic officials are backing away from a commitment they’ve made about the pedophile priest crisis.
This time, it’s German prelates. They’re reneging on what they promised would be an independent study of clergy sex crimes.
We’re disappointed but not the least bit surprised. When clergy sex abuse and cover up scandals erupt, bishops often promise the sun and moon and stars to mollify parishioners and the public. When attention begins to shift elsewhere, bishops often quietly pull back from their pledges and go back to “business as usual.”
Church officials can’t or won’t adopt meaningful reform. Such pressure must come from external sources and secular authorities. We hope that government and law enforcement officials understand this and will step up their efforts accordingly, so that German children are safe from child molesting clerics and their complicit church colleagues.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.