Bloco de Esquerda (BE) coordinator Catarina Martins classified this Saturday as a “huge insult” the content of the Portuguese bishops’ press conference on Friday and asked for the support of the victims and a new independent commission. .
“I cannot explain how it is possible yesterday that the bishops thought they could hold this press conference, that they did not realize the huge insult to all Catholics in this country,” Katarina Martins told reporters in Coimbra. on the sidelines of a short session on housing.
Noting that BE is not responsible for talking about the church, but about the “duties of society”, Katarina Martins defended that the country should act.
“If the church does not see what it should see, we as a society must act,” the blockist leader emphasized, asking for psychological support for victims of sexual violence, as well as legal support.
On the other hand, Katarina Martins defended the existence of a new independent commission that could continue the “extraordinary work” of the current one, and accused the Portuguese church of covering up abuses and continuing to do so.
“If the church wants to close its eyes, the country cannot close its eyes. And we need a new independent commission, and an independent commission that gives security to victims to file their complaints. It also gives security to the country, which, by protecting the victims and deducing the consequences of what happened, is also able to make visible the terrible cover-up that the Catholic Church has done and continues to do,” accused Katarina Martins.
Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) President José Ornelas on Friday sent possible compensation to victims of sexual abuse to their perpetrators, indicating that the organization would not pay compensation.
“As far as victim support is concerned, the issue of compensation is clear in both canon law and civil law. If there is an evil that someone has done, then it is the one who is responsible in terms of compensation,” said José Ornelas.
The prelate spoke at a press conference after an extraordinary plenary meeting held in Fatima devoted exclusively to the analysis of the final report of the Independent Commission for the Study of Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church of Portugal, published on 13 February.
“Speaking of help and support for those affected – it’s right that they have it – this is a priority for us,” he said, ensuring that “no one will lose access to treatment.” [psicológico] for lack of funds.”
Insisting that in canon law and civil law “fines and compensation are a matter of personal law”, the Bishop of the Diocese of Leiria Fatima affirmed that the Catholic Church wants to administer justice, “and justice is done through a direct and fair procedure”. .
When asked about the treatment of abusive priests, José Ornelas admitted that it is necessary to take care not only of the abused people, but also of the rapists, otherwise “they are stray bombs.”
“For this, here in the country, we must be able to find solutions. This is one of the conditions that is agreed not only [para] bishops, but [para] religious congregations,” he said, referring to the fact that this is one of the specific items that is on the table, and that “it can be useful to other people and that this is important, especially in this case.”
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Portuguese / End