MALTA
Malta Today
In such cases, the greatest erosion of trust may have less to do with the abuse in itself, than with the Church’s handling of the issue.
There can be little doubt that, if any one issue has seriously undermined public trust in the global Catholic Church in recent years, that issue would be child abuse.
Scandals erupting in Ireland, the USA, Australia and elsewhere have undeniably traumatised the world Catholic community. The Maltese Church was no exception, as the cases of Godwin Scerri and Carmelo Pulis – two priests convicted in 2012 of having abused up to 11 boys – made clear.
In such cases, however, the greatest erosion of trust may have less to do with the abuse in itself, than with the Church’s handling of the issue. Child abuse is of course a heinous crime, and can only be aggravated by the fact that many of the victims would be vulnerable minors entrusted to care institutions. But a crime it remains: and one that is by no means confined to the Catholic Church. Clearly, it would be unfair to tar the institution in its entirety on the basis of individual actions committed by a minority of its members.
In many instances, however, it was the Church’s failure to adequately act against this minority that truly shocked and outraged the wider public. Almost everywhere such scandals occurred, the subsequent pattern of behaviour seemed to be consistent: investigations would be carried out internally and behind closed doors; victims were often encouraged not to go public with their accusations; and most disturbing of all, it often emerged that some priests found guilty by such internal tribunals were simply transferred to other dioceses, where the pattern of abuse would continue unabated.
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