VALLETTA (MALTA)
Times of Malta [Mriehel Malta]
April 3, 2025
By Marc Galdes
Three separate complaints were made about one friar
Two friars were suspended last year following “substantiated” allegations of sexual abuse against vulnerable adults.
The details were announced by the Safeguarding Commission, which was set up by the Maltese Church to combat abuse.
In the first case, there were three separate complaints of sexual abuse against a friar, all of which dated back more than 10 years ago. The case was not referred to the authorities because the victims declined to file a police report despite an offer by the Safeguarding Commission to accompany them.
The second case was referred to the police but the victim did not want to proceed with the police investigation.
While the report only specified that the complaints were against ‘Religious Priests or Nuns’, Times of Malta is informed that they involved two friars.
Substantiated complaints against vulnerable adults – and what action was taken.
In total, the commission received 33 complaints in 2024 of varying types of abuse allegations; 19 involving minors and 14 involving adults, Head of Safeguarding Mark Pellicano said.
Besides the two cases, another priest or nun was also suspended as the commission found that this person posed a risk, as they had received a complaint from a minor and an adult.
In this case, the commission found that the priest or nun posed a risk, but they did not find evidence that substantiated the alleged act.
Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, breaching boundaries…
Overall, in 2024, the commission came to 41 conclusions in 20 cases involving minors and 21 involving adults, out of which 10 complaints were substantiated, one involving a minor and nine involving adults.
Besides the sexual abuse allegations, the commission also concluded that there were two cases where boundaries were breached, one case of emotional abuse, one case of spiritual abuse, one instance of abuse of power, and one case of poor professional practice.
The complaint involving a minor was regarding poor professional practice by a layperson. In this case, the commission recommended a partial restriction against the layperson.
Regarding breach of boundaries, one involved a diocesan priest and one involved a layperson. The commission recommended that the layperson should receive a restriction, but not the diocesan priest.
The victim chose not to file a police report.
A diocesan priest was also found to have emotionally abused an adult victim, but the victim did not file a police report. The commission recommended a partial restriction against the priest.
The commission also recommended a restriction on a diocesan priest who was found to have spiritually abused his victim.
Lastly, the commission found that a priest or nun abused their power against an adult, and it recommended a restriction.
12 cases were unsubstantiated or unfounded
Meanwhile, the commission concluded that five of the cases were unsubstantiated and two cases were unfounded.
The other cases were “either not safeguarding concerns or could be dealt with internally by their respective HR departments since they did not fall under the Commission’s remit”.
The commission also carried out background checks on 3,632 church personnel.
They did this by submitting 105 court applications asking to see if the people working within the church were listed on the Offenders’ Registry under the Protection of Minors Act.
The commission also vetted 38 clergy members who were visiting Malta.
None of the people checked were listed on the offenders’ registry.
To prevent these cases from happening, the commission also hosted training sessions that were attended by 2,360 individuals, including 2,200 church personnel.
One can contact the safeguarding commission by calling 22470950 or sending an email to info@safeguarding.mt.
