PM fails to censure Glenn Bedingfield’s abuse dig at the Archbishop

MALTA
Times of Malta

Wednesday, January 13, 2016 by Ivan Martin

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat failed to condemn an aide yesterday who had made a public ‘priest child abuse’ dig at Archbishop Charles Scicluna.

Glenn Bedingfield, employed at the Office of the Prime Minister on a position of trust basis, shared a video clip Tuesday of Mgr Scicluna accompanied by the caption: “At least the Prime Minister didn’t go into any children’s bedrooms.”

In the clip, Mgr Scicluna is seen criticising Joseph Muscat’s controversial new year’s message during a television interview aired on Monday night. Mgr Scicluna told the interviewer he trusted that “the next time Dr Muscat visits a kitchen, it will be real”, a reference to the Prime Minister’s staged tete-a-tete with a young couple inside their designer kitchen.

Mr Bedingfield’s comment was a reference to sexual abuse by priests. Mgr Scicluna was the chief Church prosecutor in such cases when he served at the Vatican.

A spokesman for Dr Muscat said: “Mr Bedingfield’s comment should be taken as having been made in his personal capacity and as a commentator who presents a
satirical show on One radio.”

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