This Friday, the Portuguese bishops are announcing action to be taken in response to a report of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church that confirmed 512 of 564 testimonies received in ten months.
The bishops meet during the day in Fatima for a plenary meeting of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) and present their findings at 6:00 pm in a press conference, with immediate action expected from the Catholic hierarchy.
The Independent Commission for the Study of Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church, which corroborated 512 of the 564 testimonies received, pointing by extrapolation to a minimum number of victims of about 4,815, immediately warned that the data “should be understood as the tip of the iceberg.”
On the very day of the report’s launch, February 13, Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) President José Ornelas acknowledged that the results could not be ignored and acknowledged that he was facing a “dramatic situation” that would be difficult. overcome.
In its report, the IC left some proposals to the Church, namely the creation of a new commission to continue “studying and following the topic” with internal and external members of the Church; accepting the “moral duty of condemnation by the Church and cooperation with the prosecutor’s office” or “effective petition for forgiveness in relation to situations that have occurred in the past and their materialization.”
“Ongoing psychological support for past, present and future victims” is also seen as a responsibility of the church, in conjunction with the National Health Service.
On Thursday, a letter signed by hundreds of Catholics also asks Portuguese bishops for short-term measures, including that “cover” bishops, if any, step down.
The letter, released by digital newspaper 7Margens, also requested that “all offenders who are currently in the service of the Church” be preemptively removed from office “when there is minimal credible evidence of abuse” and removed from office if they are at fault. will be proven “in the light of Christian morality, regardless of any legal proceedings.”
The immediate creation of ways to provide psychological, psychiatric and spiritual support and assistance to willing victims of sexual violence, the preparation of a solemn and collective moment for forgiveness and the creation of a new independent commission to continue the work from the previous one, according to 7Margens, some of the measures that more Catholic institutions and people are proposing to the Portuguese bishops.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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