The Diocese of Algarve said this Thursday that, following the guidance of the Holy See, it has filed one of two cases of alleged rapists identified by the Independent Commission, while the other “does not match any incardinated priest” in the region.
The Diocese said in a statement that the Independent Commission for the Study of Sexual Harassment in Churches in Portugal last Friday handed over to the Bishop of Algarve a list with two names of priests alleged to be rapists.
“One of the titles refers to a case that the Diocese of the Algarve became aware of in October 2021 and which immediately initiated a preliminary investigation, with information to the State Ministry, the results of which were sent to the Holy See, which, after an analysis of the process, showed that it should be archived ‘ he says.
The second name given “does not correspond to any priest incardinated in the Diocese of the Algarve, and there is no mention of him in the diocesan archives,” he assures, adding that Algarve Bishop D. Manuel Quintas has already informed the Independent Commission about this incident, “pending more information about this question”.
On the other hand, the Bishop of Algarve convened, on an unannounced date, all the clergy of the diocese for a general meeting “aimed at studying measures to prevent the possibility of future abuses, whether involving minors or vulnerable adults, by the current civil and canon legislation.”
The communiqué recalls that in his Lenten Address, D. Manuel Quintas regarded the publication by the Independent Commission of a report on the study of child sexual abuse in the Portuguese Catholic Church as a “strong call for conversion” that requires “courage and determination”. know the truth.”
“No one can silence or ignore this cry,” the Bishop of Algarve stressed on this occasion, believing that the report speaks of “an inexpressible reality.”
For the clergyman, the Church is called upon to “assume the responsibility claimed by this truth” by ensuring that the Diocese of the Algarve will ensure that priests and other pastoral agents “are informed and educated on this subject with the aim of creating a ‘culture of caring and openness’ in all diocesan institutions.
And he adds: all communities must develop “a new sensitivity to prevent and condemn situations that may arise in the protection and protection of children, adolescents and vulnerable adults.”
On the same note, D. Manuel Quintas addresses “to everyone, in the sense of preserving hope and cultivating a Christian feeling of universal acceptance for the victims, as well as mercy and accompaniment towards the offenders, called to accept the canonical and civil law consequences of his actions.”
The Independent Commission has nationally verified 512 of the 564 testimonies obtained between January and October 2022, extrapolating to a minimum number of casualties of around 4,815.
Twenty-five cases were reported to the prosecutor’s office, resulting in 15 investigations, nine of which have already been archived and six are still under investigation.
These testimonies refer to cases that took place between 1950 and 2022, that is, for the period covering the work of the commission.
The summary of the report, however, shows that “the data collected in church archives on cases of sexual abuse should be understood as ‘the tip of the iceberg'”.
Last Friday morning, this commission, headed by child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, handed over a list of alleged rapists to the various dioceses responsible.
On the same day, after reviewing the final report of the independent commission, the President of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, José Ornelas, stated that the removal of alleged child abuse priests was in the hands of each bishop, acknowledging that “if there is plausibility of coming into dangerous contact with other people and persistence of possible offenses”, these people may be suspended as a precaution.
However, he stressed, it is important for the investigation to proceed that “plausible names and descriptions are given.” “I cannot remove a person from the ministry just because someone came and said that “this gentleman offended someone.” But who said it, in what place, where? Removing him from the ministry is serious,” he stressed.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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