MALTA
Gozo News
Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech in joint statement have said they want to give assurance to the public that the protection of minors is always among the key targets in dioceses managed by them. With the law, both church and state, is always observed and executed in this matter, as in any other matter.
“In the autumn of 2014 the Bishops, together with Religious Superiors in Malta and Gozo had adopted and published a policy on how to investigate cases of alleged abuse of minors by clergy, and religious people.”
The Bishops said that at the beginning of this year, the same ecclesiastical authorities appointed a group of experts to form the Commission for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults, also called the Safeguarding Commission, headed by Andrew Azzopardi, and has been in operation since February.
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“According to this policy and the law of the church, when there is an allegation of abuse by a priest, the Bishop will immediately restrict or suspend the pastoral ministry of the priest, to not have further contact with other minors, and refer the case to the Safeguarding Commission for the necessary investigations.”
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