What a letdown! (1)

'A Christian Outlook' (The Sunday Times, July 29), commenting on a probe ordered by the Catholic Church in Gozo on physical and psychological abuse of children at Lourdes Home, exclaimed "What a letdown!" It is the least we can say.

An ad hoc commission under the chairmanship of retired Judge Victor Caruana Colombo was appointed by Bishop Mario Grech in April 2006 and given two months to produce a report. We are still waiting.

I first met the then Fr Grech and retired Judge Caruana Colombo over seven years ago when they heard my evidence in a case involving a priest child molester. As members of the Curia's Response Team, both have long experience of Church- commissioned investigations. The Response Team reports to the bishop, who then decides what to do next. His decision is confidential and the documents are sealed in the Curia's secret archives.

Even if the investigations on Lourdes Home are concluded, I, for one, expect Bishop Grech to publish the results, even if they put the Church in a bad light. For the same reason, bishops should reveal the names of priests who have been suspended from their functions by the Vatican for having molested children. The interests of children should come first and parents should know how to guide them.

As in other countries, bishops should pass on any information they may have on all child molesters, even if they are priests, to the police.

I can assure 'A Christian Outlook' that the Lourdes Home non-report is not the first or only time that the faithful have felt let down by their Church.