ROME
Vatican Insider
According to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Asian Catholic Church is finding it hard to fight paedophilia “because of the cultural differences” that exist and the “varied interpretations of what child abuse constitutes”
Giacomo Galeazzi
Vatican City
The problem is particularly accentuated in Asia Mgr. Charles Scicluna, Promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith commented during the international symposium on sex abuse of minors by the clergy, organised by Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University. In response to the “Asian emergency”, Mgr. Scicluna recently gathered all leaders of Asian Episcopal Conferences for an unprecedented closed-door meeting in Bangkok.
“Asian Churches are gradually becoming aware that abuse is going on and that something must be done about it.” But except from the Philippines, all other Asian Episcopates are late in adopting the Holy See’s guidelines against paedophilia. “In some cultures is especially difficult for victims to come out into the open and report abuse. We are debating with Asian bishops on how to change a culture that encourages silence,” Scicluna emphasised. This is why there are still only very few cases being reported in Asia compared to the thousands of reports filed in Europe and the United States. Victims need to be listed to in order to be able to understand the problem properly and act prudently and with determination. Churches throughout the world need to be helped to formulate new efficient pastoral care programmes. Prevention and education. Speaking to Vatican Radio, Scicluna also made reference to his and Cardinal Levada’s missions to various parts of the world, including Latin America and Asia, in order to support the work done by local churches to counter these crimes. Mgr. Scicluna explained to Vatican Radio that the symposium entitled “Towards Healing and Renewal” aims to allow the Church to come up with a global solution to the scandal of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy, and to ensure victims better protection. Delegates from 110 Episcopal Conferences and general superiors from over 30 religious orders will participate in the symposium.
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