Belgium, Ireland

Belgium: no to a new investigating commission The bishops and major superiors of Congregations and religious orders in Belgium decided not to create another investigating commission into sexual abuse of minors by Church members and instead rely on the judiciary’s handling of the charges of abuse and the criminal liabilities. However, the Church reaffirms her responsibility to listen to the victims at local level (in dioceses and in the religious orders involved) and proceed at canonical level with disciplinary provisions that will be taken definitively by the Holy See. The Belgian Bishops’ Conference announced the decision in a message released October 20. The bishops explain that after the resignation of the Adriaenssens Commission, they considered “setting up a committee or a centre where experts could handle the issue on behalf of the Church. But this idea was later dismissed. The charges’ righteousness and the penal liabilities ought to be assessed by the judiciary. As Church representatives we have a specific pastoral responsibility, primarily towards the victims. Their claims will therefore be registered at diocesan level or by the major superiors of the involved Congregations. Their requests will be duly examined”. “We must also assume responsibility vis a’ vis the perpetrators of the crimes in compliance with canon law. We are taking disciplinary provisions. Each report will be sent to Rome in view of definitive disciplinary action”. In the message the bishops reiterate the importance of experts’ cooperation in listening to the victims’ charges and issuing disciplinary measures. “We hope the team of experts tasked with providing assistance and advice to the dioceses, congregations and religious orders, is set up soon. In fact, it is a specific and delicate problem, that must be addressed by experts with all the necessary skills”. The message released October 20 is long and suffered. “In the past month – write the bishops and religious – we acknowledged the extent of the injustice and the suffering” caused. “As Church, our first task is to be near to the victims. We must acknowledge this injustice and the suffering. The victims ought to enjoy our support and be given all the assistance they deserve. It is a duty”. Ireland: a year of prayer for renewal Irish bishops called upon the faithful of Ireland to avail of prayer to guide “the renewal” process undertaken by the episcopate in conjunction with the Holy See after the charges of sexual abuse by priests on minors, which deeply shattered Irish Church and society. In a message released October 19 at the end of the General Assembly of the Irish Bishops’ Conference the bishops said, once again, that they are “most grateful” to all those who offered their helpful reflections on the Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland published by Pope Benedict on 19 March last”. The bishops “recognize the need for profound renewal and for a new vision to inspire present and future generations to treasure the gift of our common faith. The “first step” of the “renewal” process, is “prayer” in the Year of Matthew, beginning on 28 November, the bishops say in the note. “During this Year of Prayer, the faithful are encouraged to recite the Prayer for the Church in Ireland contained in the Pastoral Letter” of Benedict XVI, they point out in the message. The bishops thus recall that Pope Benedict XVI also announced in his Pastoral Letter his intention “to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in Ireland, as well as seminaries and religious congregations’. October 6 last Cardinal Seán Brady, archbishop Diarmuid Martin, archbishop Dermot Clifford and archbishop Michael Neary, travelled to Rome where they discussed the organization of the Apostolic Visitation with the Apostolic Visitators, the Superiors of the Congregations for the Bishops and the Secretary of State. “The deliberations were positive and constructive – the bishops underlined -. It is the hope of all that the Apostolic Visitation will assist in purifying and healing the Church in Ireland and will help to restore the trust and hope of the faithful in our country”.