By Fr Joe Borg
Times of Malta
April 25, 2010
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100425/religion/wake-up-and-face-reality
 |
| Clerical sex abuse victim Lawrence Grech after meeting the Pope last Sunday. Photo by Chris Sant Fournier |
One of the very important meetings that took place during the Pope's visit to Malta was the unannounced meeting he had with a group of men who recounted horror stories of their experiences while being 'cared for' at a Church home for children at St Venera.
All Maltese media referred to the meeting as one between the 'alleged' victims and the Pope. On the other hand, the highest authority of the Catholic Church, undoubtedly for reasons it believes to be valid, decided to drop the word 'alleged' when referring to these experiences.
The Vatican Information Service (VIS) cannot be accused of being a sensationalist news service. It is difficult to find a more prim and proper news service. It cannot be accused of dropping the word 'alleged' because it wanted to be sensationalist. I do not think it dropped the word for lack of knowledge of how such incidents were being reported.
I am reproducing the essence of the despatch released last Sunday by the Vatican Information Service:
"Today in the apostolic nunciature to Malta, following this morning's Mass at the Floriana Granaries, the Holy Father held a meeting with a small group of people who suffered sex abuse at the hands of the clergy.
"According to an English-language communique concerning the meeting, released by the Holy See Press Office, Benedict XVI "was deeply moved by their stories and expressed his shame and sorrow over what victims and their families have suffered. He prayed with them and assured them that the Church is doing, and will continue to do, all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future."
One could not say that the VIS published its despatch hurriedly since the meeting had not been scheduled. The dropping of the word 'alleged' cannot qualify as an oversight, especially when the word was not used by the Pope himself when speaking three days later. At the Vatican, he referred to 'abuse victims' and not to 'alleged abuse victims'.
This is a verbatim reproduction of the part of the VIS dispatch of last Wednesday:
"...Benedict XVI went on to recall how, following the celebration of the Eucharist in front of the church of St Publius, at which the faithful 'participated with great enthusiasm', he had 'met a number of victims of abuse by members of the clergy. I shared their suffering and, greatly moved, prayed with them, giving them assurances of the Church's action', he said."
Why are the Pope and the Vatican referring to "victims of abuse" and not "alleged victims of abuse"? I cannot answer that question as I am not the Vatican's spokesman. However, I am sure this was not done for sensationalist or frivolous reasons or because of ignorance.
Those in the Church who are still in denial mode on the issue of child abuse should pinch themselves, wake up and face reality.
One final comment: it was reported that the Pope and the bishops cried during the meeting. Had the Response Team of the Church done its work properly and efficiently, the Pope and the bishops would have been spared these painful moments and closure could have been arrived at years ago.
Contact: joseph.borg@um.edu.mt
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.