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	Acquitted Priest Told Not to Work with Children By Christian Peregin Times of Malta October 6, 2011 http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111006/local/Acquitted-priest-told-not-to-work-with-children.387886 The Vatican has decided not to defrock Fr Conrad Sciberras over sex abuse allegations but, due to evidence giving rise to “serious suspicions”, his Sacred Ministry will still be restricted to adults. “Since moral certainty has not been attained that Fr Sciberras is being found guilty of having sexually abused a number of minors in terms of current jurisprudence, a negative decision was given as to whether he sexually abused minors,” the Curia said, quoting a note received from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in Rome. Still, sex abuse victim Lawrence Grech stands firmly by his allegations. “This is life,” he said yesterday. “I’ve long known about the games the Church plays. I was certain this would happen because there are no court proceedings due to the allegations being time-barred.” Mr Grech claims the abuse happened in the summer of 1985 when he was 13. He accused the Church of playing a waiting game in the case of convicted sex abuser Fr Godwin Scerri because there was a “glimmer of hope” that he would be acquitted on appeal. Unlike the case of Charles Pulis, who was defrocked after he was sentenced by the court, Fr Scerri never admitted to his crimes. “If the Church did not defrock (Mr Pulis), it would have looked mad,” Mr Grech said, pointing out that Mr Pulis had confessed in a police statement. Mr Grech said there were six witnesses, including himself, making allegations against Fr Sciberras. “Did all six of us lie,” he asked, adding that he never said untruths and he had nothing to hide, so he would continue to stand by his claims. On the other hand, he said, the priest knew the truth and would have to live with his conscience. “We weren’t believed now... imagine if we were still kids,” Mr Grech said, adding that the Church’s reluctance to defrock the priests was helping to keep a lid on abuse rather than expose it. “I still believe that some day or another the truth will come out... Time will tell,” he said. Fr Sciberras, Fr Scerri and Mr Pulis all served as members of the Missionary Society of St Paul at St Joseph’s Home in Sta Venera, which housed the group of boys who alleged sexual abuse. A fourth priest, Fr Joseph Bonnett, died before the court case against him ended. The claims against Fr Sciberras were investigated by the Curia’s response team, which passed on the case to the Vatican since the allegations were “founded”. Restrictions on his ministry were put in place as a precautionary measure when the allegations were made. In August, Fr Sciberras filed a judicial protest warning Mr Grech against speaking about the allegations as if they were fact, even though he had never been subjected to any criminal proceedings. Mr Grech stood his ground and challenged Fr Sciberras to sue him, which so far did not happen.
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