MALTA
Malta Independent
Priest abuse victims see ‘small ray of hope’
Lawrence Grech, the spokesperson for a group of 11 sexual abuse victims involved in the high-profile St Joseph’s Home priest abuse case, sees “a small ray of hope” in Pope Francis’ recent agreement to establish a commission that will help abuse victims with their healing process.
Speaking yesterday to The Malta Independent on Sunday, Mr Grech, who is himself one of the 11 victims, reiterated how, despite the Maltese Church’s claims to the contrary, not a single member of the group of abuse victims he represents has been contacted to follow up on the Church’s offer of assistance to those who had fallen prey to paedophile priests.
In August 2011, Godwin Scerri, at the time 75 years of age, and Charles Pulis, 64, were sentenced to five and six years imprisonment for sexually abusing 11 of the boys in their care at the Santa Venera home over 20 years earlier. Both were defrocked after the sentence.
An ensuing civil court case, in which the victims are claiming damages, is scheduled to continue next week.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Grech was tentatively hopeful that the new commission appointed by the Pope earlier this week may eventually lead to the kind of help that his fellow sexual abuse victims are in need of, and which he says has been denied them despite the Church’s pledges.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.