ROME
Telegraph (UK)
By Andrea Vogt in Bologna 07 Feb 2016
The outspoken British member of a papal advisory commission on sex abuse has demanded a meeting with Pope Francis over what he says is a Vatican attempt to silence him.
The Vatican press office announced on Saturday that Peter Saunders, head of Britain’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, had been asked to take a leave of absence from the commission he was invited by Pope Francis to join when it was set up in 2014. It was established to lay down “best practices” for tackling sex abuse in the church.
In a hastily-called press conference Saturday, Mr. Saunders said that despite a near-unanimous vote of no-confidence against him, he would not step down.
And in an interview on Sunday he told The Telegraph that he would consider himself still a member of the commission until the pontiff who hand-picked him for the role told him otherwise.
“It was suggested I take some time out to consider my options,” he said. “But I said the only one who can dismiss me is the man who appointed me, and so I have requested a meeting with the pope.”
Mr Saunders said he planned to leave Rome and return to his family in the UK next week while awaiting a response. Since going public about the commission’s decision, he has received dozens of emails of support, as well as menacing warnings from observers suggesting he watch his back. Survivor support groups that track sexual abuse by clergy quickly spoke out in his defence.
“The apparent attempt by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to eject an outspoken survivor raises serious doubts about its integrity and independence,” Anne Barrett Doyle, co-founder of BishopAccountability.org said. …
“Someone in the commission said, ‘You know Rome wasn’t built in a day, don’t expect the church to change overnight’,” he said. “My response was, ‘It only takes a few seconds to rape a child and that child’s life is changed forever.’ We know abuse in the church is rampant. We need more action now.”
Mr Saunders said he was particularly disturbed by the story of two Italian priests who told a member of the commission about a colleague known to be abusing children.
They had gone to their bishop but said they had been told to stay quiet. They had then gone to the local police, who asked if they had spoken to their bishop.
Mr Saunders pressed the commission for action, but was rebuffed, as it was deemed inappropriate to address individual cases.
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