LIMA (PERU)
La República
>>The Church hides cases such as the Sodalicio worldwide
January 18, 2018
By Martín Calderón
Testimonios. Un exsacerdote mexicano, un ciudadano alemán abusado por dos jesuitas y otros activistas denuncian el silencio de la Iglesia Católica en denuncias de pederastia.
“Me considero un sobreviviente de los abusos sexuales, no solo una víctima. Fuimos abusados un grupo de niños en la década del 70, y algunos se suicidaron o tuvieron problemas con el alcohol. Yo sobreviví”.
El relato es de Matthias Katsch, abusado sexualmente a los 13 años, según dijo, por dos jesuitas en un colegio católico en Berlín, Alemania.
Este ciudadano alemán se encuentra en el Perú junto a otras víctimas de abusos sexuales por parte de miembros de la Iglesia católica, y activistas por los derechos de los niños y adolescentes.
La historia de Katsh es parecida a la que vivieron las víctimas del Sodalicio en el Perú. Y parecida también a otros casos registrados en la lejana Irlanda o en el país vecino de Chile.
El caso del Sodalicio, explica la activista Anna Barret-Doyle, “es similar a lo que pasa en todo el globo, y la Iglesia lo sabe”.
[Google Translation: Testimonials . A former Mexican priest, a German citizen abused by two Jesuits and other activists denounce t”I consider myself a survivor of sexual abuse, not just a victim. We were abused a group of children in the 70s, and some committed suicide or had problems with alcohol. I survived”.
The story is from Matthias Katsch, sexually abused at age 13, he said, by two Jesuits at a Catholic school in Berlin, Germany.
YOU CAN SEE The secrets of Sodalicio: What happened inside its walls?
This German citizen is in Peru with other victims of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church, and activists for the rights of children and adolescents.
The history of Katsh is similar to that of the victims of Sodalicio in Peru. And similar to other cases recorded in distant Ireland or in the neighboring country of Chile.
The Sodalicio case, explains activist Anna Barret-Doyle, “is similar to what happens around the globe, and the Church knows it.”
Other activists agree, such as the former Mexican priest Alberto Athié, who left the priesthood when he found out that the Church is hiding cases of pedophilia, according to what he said yesterday during a conversation organized by the organization defending sexual rights Promsex and Lamula.pe in Lima.
“You have to confront the sayings with the facts. What does Pope Francis intend ? The protection of his image and of the Holy See. He has apologized to the victims, but that is not enough. It is not enough to forgive because before there is justice, “he said.
Church in crisis
For the ex-priest Athié, the Catholic Church faces a serious crisis of credibility worldwide due to its lack of transparency in cases of sexual abuse. “The Pope knows it perfectly,” he said.
“There is an immensity of cases of sexual abuse in Latin America. The church sends to this region and to Africa persecuted priests in Europe and the United States for sexual crimes. Poor and marginalized children are abused and can hardly make the complaint, “he added.
For his part, the American lawyer and activist Tim Law warned that the pope’s message does not agree with his actions.
“It says: ‘No more secrets’, but at the same time the Church does not make public the list of sexual aggressors,” he said.
Finally, the former vice president of the Committee on the Rights of the Child of the UN , the Ecuadorian Sara Oviedo, clarified that the denunciations and questions against the Catholic Church are carried out because it “covers up its members accused of sexual abuse, instead of collaborating with Justice”.
More testimonials
The author of the book “Sins of the Fathers”, the Jamaican Denise Buchanan, participated in the discussion and told that she was a victim of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church.
He narrated that he still suffers the consequences of the tragedy he experienced.
“My social life is dramatic even today. I have achieved success in other aspects of life, but not emotionally. The person who spoke to me about God abused me and I got pregnant. That was devastating, “he said.
“I can not have children and I’ve divorced twice. And they ask me to turn the page! Buchanan added.
They sent a letter to the Nunciature to be received by the head of the Catholic Church in the world and talk about the injustice generated by the pardon that the former dictator Alberto Fujimori received.
“We are still waiting for an answer. There is nothing official so far, and the timetable for the visit of Pope Francis has already come out, “he said, in a dialogue with La República .
It is also not known if the Pope will meet with the victims of sexual, physical and psychological abuse of Sodalicio.he silence of the Catholic Church in allegations of pedophilia.
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