Kurt Sansone
Archbishop apologises for abuse investigation delay
The Archbishop has apologised for the length of time it has taken for the Church to conclude its investigation into allegations of child abuse by priests at a Church orphanage.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mgr Paul Cremona said the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had sent Mgr Charles Scicluna, the Promoter of Justice, to Malta to supplement the investigation by the Curia's Response Team.
The alleged victims of child abuse, who made international headlines last April when they were received by the Pope during his Malta visit, were only interviewed for the second time this week, seven years after first going public with the allegations.
In the letter sent by the Vatican and seen by this newspaper, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said Mgr Scicluna's visit was a "means of support for an expeditious conclusion of the cases at hand". It also expressed gratitude for the sterling work done by the archdiocese in the protection of minors.
Mgr Cremona said the Church had to make sure that in future there will be no recurrence of a situation whereby investigations drag on for years. Mgr Cremona also talked about his leadership and drew a distinction between his style and that of Gozo Bishop Mario Grech when asked whether the latter had taken the limelight away from him with various public statements.
Talking about his style, Mgr Cremona said he listened to people and would be ready to change his mind if convinced by the arguments being made.
"I am not authoritarian and it is a great challenge for me whenever I have to impose a decision. I prefer dialogue," he said.
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Raymond Sammut
Jun 27th 2010, 20:08
"I am not authoritarian ..."(Cremona) Of course you are. You would have been voted out by now.
Andrew Farrugia
Jun 27th 2010, 14:44
It is customary for people who are dead set against the Church to find all excuses to blame the Church for all ills in society. It would be better for the Church to concentrate on the word of God and to look after the faithful. All the rest should be allowed to look after their own souls and consciences, if they believe they have any.
Louise Vella
Jun 27th 2010, 12:30
Bishops all over the world seem to think that the raping of children is just a sin to be forgiven with the proper penance each time; maybe five Hail Marys would have been enough. And the rape of children was repeated over and over again and the sins were forgiven over and over again.
Bishops know that there are priests who rape children and actively work to hide that information from the police and the public. Finally in Belgium priest rapists and those who helped cover-up their crimes are being treated like the criminals that they are.
So let the world follow the lead of Belgium. If the Church insists on protecting criminals then bishops should expect raids. Every possible legal action should be taken to protect children, the weakest members of society.
Franco Farrugia
Jun 27th 2010, 18:44
I think that what happened in Belgium is somewhat over-the-top, lady. I cannot approve of Bishops being treated like condemned criminals, being left incomunicado for hours on end. Or priests, for that matter, being left without anything to eat or drink for hours on end. I cannot approve of bishops' tombs being desecrated. Ok, ... i don't know the ins and outs of the situation - something tells me that there was more that met the eye and that the authorities must have had plenty of reason for that vicious attack, I don't know. But still, lady, it is not something I would want to see in my own country, for all that I am in favour of the distancing between Church and State. Strangely as it may seem, I have great respect for the Church - in an open-minded way! - and that is what makes me so critical of same.
Raymond Sammut
Jun 27th 2010, 20:12
A bit hard trying to imagine the clergy starving in Belgium at the hands of the authorities. Imsieken.
Louise Vella
Jun 27th 2010, 12:28
The hard fact is that Catholic priests around the world were committing crimes when they raped children. Their actions were criminal. The Catholic Church seems to think that its priests don’t have to face prosecution. Bishops around the world hide files of abusive priests in secret archives of the curia. Is it acceptable if football nurseries, scouts, girl guides and other institutions dealing with children, ran their organizations in a similar manner? What is shocking is the fact that it’s taken so long for law enforcement officials around the world to act. No wonder the Catholic Church felt immune. It is about time for law enforcement officials around the world, including Malta, to copy their Belgian counterparts.
renald williams
Jun 27th 2010, 11:26
There should be no length of time delays at all, in following the Words of Jesus.
Jesus kept his followers in liberty, if to marry or not, as normal humans.
Jesus only told his followers, not to dress differently, as normal humans. Peace and health…
Jesus said…And there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it. Matthew 19:12.
There was a priest named Zacharias… and he had a wife… Elizabeth his wife became pregnant… and she gave birth to a son… Luke 1:5, 24, 57.
When Jesus came into Peter’s house, He saw his mother-in-law. Matthew 8:14, Mark 1:30, Luke 4:38.
Jesus… In His teaching He was saying: Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes. Mark 12:38, Luke 20:46.
Annas… was father-in-law of Caiphas, who was high priest that year. John 18:13
Franco Farrugia
Jun 27th 2010, 11:15
It has become customary for authorities of all sorts, civil and ecclesiastical, to first put their foot in it and then, years later, apologise. Apologies come very easy. VERY easy. I mean, look at the UK authorities, apologising, many years later, for atrocities they committed in Northern Ireland. And the same with Church authorities.