Editorial

When two years ago a number of adults alledged that they were physically and psychologically abused while in the care of the Dominican Sisters who run Lourdes Home, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, who had just been appointed, did the right thing and set up an independent inquiry. He did this notwithstanding the fact that the allegations had already been made in 1999 and an internal board of inquiry had concluded that no abuses were perpetrated.

When the commission headed by former Judge Victor Caruana Colombo submitted its report, Bishop Grech again did the right thing and did it most courageously. In a statement signed by himself, he informed the public that the commission had "arrived at the conclusion that in some particular cases there had been inadmissible behaviour involving minors that should never have taken place". He immediately took on board the recommendations of the commission and instructed the Superior General of the Dominican Sisters to implement what the inquiry board had proposed, "thus excluding the recurrence of such abuses".

Mgr Grech should be admired for publicly asking forgiveness from those who have suffered because of this behaviour. He did not beat about the bush trying to hide behind the fact that such abuse had occurred many years before he had been appointed bishop. His attitude showed that the Church is not ready to cover up in any way any abuse that is committed. Church homes and institutions are there to help the vulnerable, not to exploit them.He did not try and attenuate what had happened by, say, arguing that there were only few abuses. This proves that for the Church one single abuse is far too many.

While welcoming such a stand, perhaps it would have been wiser for Bishop Grech to publish the recommendations of the commission.

His public apology should help in the healing process of those who were courageous enough to speak up. They should be proud of what they did. Besides, he set up a team of experts to help those who feel they need help and promised to personally follow the process closely.

Should the Bishop report the case to the police? That is debatable. First of all those who were abused are today adults and so could have gone to the police themselves - their preference to find help and justice through the internal fora of the Church should be respected. Furthermore, we are speaking of something that happened long ago, which means the cases could have become time-barred. It was a pity so many years had to go by, but now the victims have the satisfaction that a zero tolerance approach is being adopted.

Bishop Grech did not throw the baby out with the bathwater. He expressed appreciation for the "sterling work done with great love and dedication by a great number of Dominican Sisters in this home, during its long history in favour of hundreds of children and their families". For the second time in a month he expressed his wish that "this home will continue to give this service to the Church and to society". Is there anyone who thinks otherwise?

Now one expects the Dominican Sisters to assure everybody that they are heeding the appeal of Bishop Grech by keeping open Lourdes Home in the best interests of the children it hosts. The Superior General should also publicly apologise and ask for forgiveness. The Order must furthermore declare that none of the nuns involved in the cases of abuse is still working in care of minors anywhere and that all the recommendations of the commission will be scrupulously observed.

Finally, one augurs that the relevant state agencies are helping Church homes by monitoring them regularly and offering them all the help they need so that the care they give will always be of the highest quality and in consonance with the latest developments in such service.