Commission finds cases of abuse in Church Home - Bishop asks for forgiveness

Sandro Agius

Apr 5th 2008, 15:15

I think the bishop did his duty for when he knew of alleged abuse he investigate and asked experts to see how this things would not happen any more.

If we are to blame, is ourselves who play the innocent part but we too have our faults in all this...maybe we were not near enough, maybe we took those children for granted, we look to such children with suspicious eyes...who knows... discrimination is found in every one's mind.

Let's learn from this because even the slightest thought is a form of abuse... when you see a poor child, a black man, a refugee etc what do you think, what do you feel? Than we can point our fingers on others.

I forgive, more and more because I know that the Bishop will not leave this happen again. Lets not make from such case the catch for the witch...the witch is in our heart.

A Abela

Apr 5th 2008, 13:58

The cases are prescribed so no court action is possible...

John Muscat

Apr 5th 2008, 13:25

the bishop must be joking right?

Joseph Cauchi

Apr 5th 2008, 11:53

In Malta, no one is above the law, be (s)he clergyman or statesman or judge. I believe that these injustices should be tried at a court of law.

Incidentally, I recently re-read a great Maltese novel by Frans Sammut called "Il-Gagga" that first came out in 1971. The more I look around me, what with all this constant political tension and religious fervor, the more I realize that almost 40 years later, our society has not progressed to the extent that one wishes!

More free to speak and to hold opinions? Yes of course, we certainly are! But we are still slaves to politics and religion.

I know I have strayed somewhat out of point here regarding this news article. What I mean to say is that priests and sisters are humans and humans err and like all humans they should be punished if and only if they are found guilty in a court of law. And we should not blind ourselves from this truth just because the accused is in a holy order.

Martin Frendo

Apr 5th 2008, 11:53

Any institution ,to educate and steer our children into becoming full flegged citizens,with a sound foundation , should be more than aware of their responsibilities and duties.

this applies not only to Religious institutions but any given private or public adminstration.

personally, first and formost one must condemn such actions and the govenment should have a body set up to ensure that any abuse is avoided.

I attended religious schooling , both primary and secondary schools ,there were nuns and priests who abused of their authority ,to the detriment of helpless children.

Unfortunately ,one tends to instantly point fingers at the church in general.

Furthermore the culprits, at most, are protected icons.

assisting and giving counsel to victimised children, one must look into the perpetrators and besides removing them from their positions, are also assisted psycholigically.

asking forgiveness is already a step froward, but one musn't stop there. no matter where the offence comes,such culprits should be dealt with as any other civil offender.

Raymond Sammut

Apr 5th 2008, 11:51

Can David tell us the meaning of "time barred"? Honestly, I've never heard this one before -- new lingo for me.

V. Borg

Apr 5th 2008, 11:49

To David Buttigieg
If these abuses are time-barred, then they must have happened a long time ago! And certain practices, which are not acceptable now, were perfectly acceptable 20/30 years ago.

But what about NOW? Are they still happening NOW? WHY IS APPOGG SO SILENT? Are there any social workers out there who can vouch for the sisters' care and dedication? If not, was it not their duty to report abuses?
Will Mr Gerada, Director Appogg, comment? Or is he going to imitate Pilate?
Let's be fair? It's about a fraction of the truth that is being commented about here.
This is the apex of SENSATIONALISM and CHARACTER ASSASINATION!

One last thing! The commission set up by Bishop Grech DID NOT HEAR the evidence of innocent children but of a group of adults who had all the time in the world to think about their version of what happened during their childhood.

And THAT makes a DIFFERENCE!

David Buttigieg

Apr 5th 2008, 11:19

Taking them to the commissioner is useless. The cases are time barred. (To the best of my knowledge)

Cedric Busuttil

Apr 5th 2008, 11:10

To D.Mangion - I nearly agree with all what you wrote and yes I can assure you from personal experience that reports has been done with regards to teachers!

Joseph Huber - I nominate your comment as comment of the year!!!! As according to you - we shouldn't have courts punishing crime!!! As you said ''only those who are perfect (!) should be throwing stones.''
Welldone!!

D.MANGION

Apr 5th 2008, 10:07

To Cedric Busuttil-"There has been child abuse and it should be taken care of like in any other case!! "- Well if it will be treated like the case of the Pace Grasso Football Ground case-then the future is not at all rosy. Do you remember? The MFA president protected the alleged abuser and nothwithstanding the public outrage, after just some months the MFA president was re-elected ! -by maltese football clubs all over the island !
Unfortunately these cases are treated by the public just like the typical (nar tat-tiben). Bishop Mario Grech is promising that he will follow up the recovery the abused children. That's the best piece of news in all this. That's NOT nar tat-tiben. As regards the abuses I'm afraid that we are all too consious about certain kinds of child abuse, whilst we are completely indifferent about other forms of child abuse. eg.
1-does anyone ever report a teacher that gives eccessive amount of homework to small 6-7-8 year-old children derpiving them of their right of recreation ?
2-Does anyone ever report repeated denigrating remarks made by certiain teachers toward certain kids ? Of course, every mother knows that these things happen but none of them would speak for fear of having her child victimised for the rest of the scholastic year.
3- Does anyone ever report the cases of verbal abuse that A LOT of children suffer from their OWN parents ? Believe me, nowadays it's no longer so safe to assume that every mother loves her kids.
So let us all do a bit of soul searching...All the anger that is being vented here, is partly the fruit of self anger at our inability to love our children as much as we have been loved by our previous generation.
I fear the instant when the catholic church would close all of it's childrens institutions in order to play safe in front of the phenomenon of child abuse.

To Mark Bonello- if you have no comments to make, why comment ?

john muscat

Apr 5th 2008, 09:58

Does bishop Mario Grech think that forgiveness is enought in these case? Does forgiveness cure the permanent damage caused to the personalities of the victims involved.

Society should be protected from the culprits involved and the culprits should be taken to Court.

Are we all equal under law or being or not?

V. Borg

Apr 5th 2008, 09:07

Going through these comments, I couldn't help concluding that most people are motivated not by understanding but by REVENGE.
And I wonder who the REAL culprits are.
Are they the sisters who, alone with no help either from the institutional church or government, did their best to look after scores of unwanted children, OR the irresponsible parents who dumped their offspring at birth?
I believe the trauma and suffering were not caused by the occassional spanking of an unruly child but by the feeling of parental REJECTION.
These individuals, now adults refusing to accept their tragic past, vent their anger on whoever raised them up. The Bishop of Gozo should help these people accept their reality not encourage them to brood over the disciplinary methods of the sisters. Political correctness should not play a part in all this.

Joseph Huber

Apr 5th 2008, 08:44

In the light of the hysterics every case like this elicits, I suggest that only those who are perfect (!) should be throwing stones.

R. Schembri

Apr 5th 2008, 08:36

I agree completely with Ms Mallia that whoever perpetrated any physical and psychological abuse against children at Lourdes Home should be brought to justice like any other ordinary citizen.. Anything less than that would send a wrong message that members of the clergy enjoy certain privileges and immunities, and this with the full approval of their bishops.

Malcolm Seycell

Apr 5th 2008, 08:22

At least its a step forward in the right direction.

However these criminals should be brought to justice like any other common citizen.

Mark Bonello

Apr 5th 2008, 08:18

I have no comment to make! This is the pit of pits! And sadder than sad!

Cedric Busuttil

Apr 5th 2008, 07:40

There has been child abuse and it should be taken care of like in any other case!! With regards to the bishop, well done but it's not enough. Next step is to take this case to the police commissioner. What if all this happened in a private or government school? Who knows what kind of chaos would have arisen? So let's start to make things right and proceed with the next step. Otherwise, how can we parents enhance our kids to go to church instituitions? P.S. Please, child abuse department, take this case in your hands!!!

M.G. Buttigieg

Apr 5th 2008, 06:06

It seems that people allow themselves to be carried away by their emotions and unfortunately when this happens the first victim will be the truth. Ms. Mallia ,it was repeated time and again on all the media that no one and I repeat NO ONE least of all Bishop Grech is keeping or has kept the victims of these abuses or of any other abuses to go and report their case to the Police.
Secondly to your question "why should the dignity of the perpertrators be protected". It should be protected as the dignity of ALL human beings should be protected. Does it mean that if you are found guilty of an abuse being of whatever kind it is you are then denuded of all your human dignity and stoned in the middle of the square. I had the impression that our Western Culture had walked quite al ong way forward in the guarentee of our basic fundamental human rights. And then what has the fact that these persons are members of a religious order have to do with the whole matter. The right to ones human dignity does not arise from the fact that one is a member of a religious order or not but from the very simple and basic fact that one is a human being.
I believe that in yur chagrin you have in the third paragraph of your comment written the opposite of what you wanted to say. Did you want to say "Certainly `not well done" for (not) giving protection to the perpetrators of child abuse!" Did you in fact mean to leave the 'not' out? I will take it that that is what you meant as otherwise you have contradicted yourself. And I will answer to the comment as if the "not" was meant to be left out. The whole matter is not about protection or otherwise. It is about TRUTH. It was the media who first exposed those that now have been found to be facts. First we were talking about allegations, very serious allegations. And as such the first ESSENTIAL AND FUNDAMENTAL step to be taken was to find out whether these allegations were truth. And yes Well done Bishop Grech since you embarked on this task which is at all times difficult to ensure that the Truth comes to light. Thanks.
But all and sundry should know something about the role of the Bishop. A bishop as I have said is also a sheperd to ALL his flok. Therefore he is concerned with the well being of the victims of any abuse as well as with the perpetrators of the abuse. And in his declaration he has made it clear that he will in all ways possible help the victims of this abuse. But please by what right are you implicitating that he should not protect the perpetrators?
Why are you Ms. Mallia and Mr. Ellul especially angry because these perpetrators come from religious orders and from the Catholic Church. Why are you so highly stung calling for them to be put away some where in order not to repeat the abuse? Why can`t we be a tiny bit humble and allow the competent authorities to tackle the matter. We had the assurance of the Bishop on the matter. He is to ensure that all recommendations are carried out.
I sincerely hope that from this point onwards the victims of these abuses will find all the help necessary to start on the healing journey and I wish and pray that they will be able to find the serenity and joy in life they have been robbed of. I also hope that the perpetrators of this abuse will realize the gravity of their actions and will look out for ways to make amends for what they have done.

Raymond Sammut

Apr 5th 2008, 03:07

To me it appears that Mgr Mario Grech is rising above the law. He seems to suggest that he alone can decide what is and what is not a crime. This attitude would certainly not be permissible by the Maltese constitution. The Maltese authorities are duty bound to protect the citizen, enter the premises under a court order if necessary, and carry out the necessary investigations as a matter of proper procedure. In my view, whether an offender receives a pardon is an issue only for the courts.

David Urpani

Apr 5th 2008, 02:16

I would have thought it is incumbent on the police to immediately initiate a criminal investigation with the intent of bringing to justice to the full extent of the law anyone that broke the laws of the country irrespective of their religion, position or political persuasion. If this is not the case then we have a State within a State and as far as I know Malta's constitution puts the law of the land above any religion or group. Unfortunately these sort of things seem to occur everywhere, within any religious or non-religious denomination. The right thing to do for the victims and to reduce the probability of similar events happening the law needs to take its full course and bring any prepatrator to justice...

Carmel Attard

Apr 4th 2008, 23:52

Malta still in the Dark Ages??? Children are bound to be protected by Law. Therefore the perpetrators should face Justice like every other Maltese citizen. Appologies don't wash. When everyone else commits a crime .. the courts step in .. and no appologies are accepted!!

Mark Aloisio

Apr 4th 2008, 23:30

The bishop may be sorry for what happened but apparently not sorry enough to tell the police who the perpatrators were. I hope that the victims sue the Church for as much as they can.

Amanda Mallia

Apr 4th 2008, 23:19

My previous comment should have read:

"Well done, Bishop Grech"? Yes, well, done for carrying out the investigation, well done for apologising. Certainly not "well done" for GIVING protection to these perpetrators of child abuse!"

Amanda Mallia

Apr 4th 2008, 22:02

M G Buttigieg - Why should the dignity of the perpetrators of these acts be safeguarded? Simply because they could be members of a religious order does not mean that their "dignity" should be protected.

The children who were meant to be protected by these people have a right to see them brought to justice. Had they been "the man in the street", then they would be charged and brought before the courts. Hopefully, they would then also pay for the harm they have done.

"Well done, Bishop Grech"? Yes, well, done for carrying out the investigation, well done for apologising. Certainly not "well done" for not giving protection to these perpetrators of child abuse!

Another thing - to ensure that these acts are not repeated, it is NOT enough to give recommendations to the home where they were carried out. That could only reduce the risk of them being repeated AT THE HOME IN QUESTION. Children have a right to be protected from them wherever they are. Who is to say that these people will not find another haven in some other home, school or whatever?

Asking for forgiveness is simply not enough.

Joseph Ellul

Apr 4th 2008, 21:55

I believe that there should be some criminal investigation to the abuse that took place.These children and also the ones that are now adults must have suffered not only physically but more to the mental suffering knowing that they had no protection from anyone that they have been trusted in. It is shameful that this incident happened and it only happens in the hands of the Catholic Church as it has happened before in other countries and Criminal Investigations were conducted.

Amanda Mallia

Apr 4th 2008, 21:24

I strongly believe that the perpetrators of the crimes (for that is what I can only say they are) should be charged before the courts, and made to pay for their wrongdoings.

Unfortunately, it seems that this can only be done if the relevant church authorities give the information they have in hand to the police.

Asking for forgiveness is simply not enough.

The perpetrators' names should be made public, so that all and sundry could ensure that they no longer have contact with institutions, schools and the like. It is not enough to carry out the commission's recommendations AT THE HOME concerned - The perpetrators could well relocate elsewhere, unhindered. What justice is that?

M. G. Buttigieg

Apr 4th 2008, 20:55

I cannot but help draw up a comparison between the way this investigation was carried out and the one about the Mistra permits. The whole process of the investigation and the outcome should all teach us a lesson. Prudence, patience, discretion and what Saint George Preca used to call "intenzjoni retta" as against clamourous head hunting have ensured that the truth is brought to light while the dignity of all those concerned was safeguarded. Well done Bishop Grech