Christian Peregin, Herman Grech
Vatican official in 'sad and open' meetings
Two other men emerge with abuse claims
A top Vatican official described his meetings with the alleged victims of sexual abuse as "very sad, moving and open", as two more men came forward with similar claims about priests who ran an orphanage.
"I'm here primarily to honour their request, to meet them and listen to them. But I wanted to use this occasion to get direct information about the case," Mgr Charles Scicluna told The Sunday Times yesterday after concluding meetings with six of the 13 alleged victims.
The men claim they were abused some 20 years ago at St Joseph's orphanage in St Venera.
Mgr Scicluna, Promoter of Justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is expected to remain in Malta until July 2 to gather information from the alleged victims against four priests who served at the institute.
When asked about a promise made to one of the accusers that action would be taken by August, Mgr Scicluna acknowledged there was a sense of urgency but said the timeframe depended on the Curia's Response Team as well as the amount of cooperation from the victims.
The Rome-based monsignor is meeting the men together with a notary, who is taking detailed statements.
His meticulous and warm approach was welcomed by the alleged victims, one of whom described his one-on-one meetings with him as "amazing".
Mgr Scicluna is the prosecuting officer in the case, but his work will rely heavily on the investigations of the Malta Curia's Response Team.
Decisions will then be taken on a local level by Archbishop Paul Cremona, together with the Vatican.
Mgr Scicluna confirmed that the toughest penalty is that of "reducing the priests to their lay state", which means defrocking them.
He said, however, he had no intention of meeting the accused priests, including one who was serving in Italy. That was the responsibility of the Response Team.
He stressed that he was in Malta to supplement the work by the Curia's Response Team, not override it.
"I am urging the men to cooperate fully with the Curia's investigation. We are working hand in hand and pulling the same rope."
The meetings will continue throughout this week.
"I might not manage to meet every one of them, but I will make sure that I know all the principal facts," he said.
The alleged victims had severely criticised the Church and police for failing to act at once against the priests in question, and have also pointed fingers at the courts for delaying proceedings. They first made their claims in 2003.
Meanwhile, two other men have emerged to make similar abuse claims about a priest at the same institute.
One of them, Joseph Mangion, told The Sunday Times he was regularly fondled by a priest by his bedside first thing in the morning when he was 16 and 17 years old.
Mr Mangion recounted his claims to Mgr Scicluna during a private meeting on Friday.
Asked why he chose to remain silent for so many years, Mr Mangion, now 37, said: "I only managed to pluck up the courage recently; especially after I saw some of my former friends speak up. I also consulted my family.
"For years I didn't know who I could speak to; I thought I shouldn't speak about it... I was scared of the priest in question, especially after I once saw him beat up my brother," Mr Mangion said.
He also blames the alleged abuse for his going off the rails for a period of time. He served a two-year and eight-month prison sentence for theft in 2001.
"I'm doing this now to help myself, to bring some closure and perhaps to help others who have chosen to stay quiet, to come out and speak.
I have nothing against priests. I still go to Mass, but it's about time I let this out," he said.
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Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 21:49
TO DATE, THERE IS NO MALTESE PAEDOPHILE PRIEST!
Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi
Jun 27th 2010, 22:13
Dream on Joe Zammit.
What are you going to do when the first conviction happens?
Robert Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 16:52
Jiena nafek din kont filmkien ma YTC... Joseph Mangion this warm heart ...
Joseph Calleja
Jun 27th 2010, 13:55
Joseph Mangion: "It's about time I let this out." Mr Mangion I applaud you for having the courage to bring all this out. It's not easy and I wish more people who were abused by priests will have the courage to come out and speak publicly like you did. The catholic church always hid these things from the public and the police and the courts seem to have accommodated the catholic church in past years but it's about time all this comes out in the open so people like you can have closure and have the church and the dominating Curia's Response Team stop sweeping pedophile priests under the carpet. There are only a few pedophile priests but a lot of abused kids. Are there so many abused kids that Mgr Charles Scicluna does not have the time to see them all? If that's the case, then Mgr Charles Scicluna must make time. For the first time in Malta a person like Mr Mangion has a chance to speak without being threatened or be embarrassed to speak out. If the Monsignor does not have time to listen maybe somebody else has. The Curia's Response Team is the wolf.
Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 13:37
Section 101 (1) of our Criminal Code states:
"Whosoever, with intent to harm any person, shall accuse such person before a competent authority with an offence of which he knows such person to be innocent, shall, for the mere fact of having made the accusation, on conviction, be liable -
(a) to imprisonment for a term from thirteen to eighteen months, ....
(2) Where the crime is committed with intent to extort money or other effects, the punishment shall be increased by one degree.
William P Flynn
Jun 27th 2010, 14:39
Oh! So is that why the pope and the bishop wept after all. It was the money?
You're drowning Joe; and there's not even a straw to be seen anywhere. It's over.
Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 21:30
William, you are still green to understand the law, let alone change it!
MSciberras
Jun 27th 2010, 13:35
I dont care what the Vatican has to say about this issue. I don't care about what someone who goes through life with the title of Promoter of Justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has to say either. I am Maltese, a Catholic for that matter, this is 2010 and I am the citizen of a democratic republic that is built upon laws. I only care about what our courts have to say about cases like this.The Curia Response team doesn't replace either the police or the courts. Yet this article gives the impression that all hope for jiustice apparently rests with the Church, with its proven hostory of sweeping these allegations under the carpet. This case has been endlessly deferred in in our courts since 2003. End this charade once and for all, we are not all fools in Malta. THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE POLICE AND THE COURTS. WHERE ARE THEY IN ALL THIS? WHY HAS THE CASE BEEN PENDING SO LONG? These are the questions your journalists should be asking, not heralding the visit of this monsignor as if he were St Paul himself.
Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 13:25
Are the victims revealing what happened to them under oath?
Joseph Calleja
Jun 27th 2010, 15:09
Are you? Mr Zammit stop protecting these pedophile priests and admit that there are some bad apples out there. Please stop trying to degrade these innocent kids or men for that matter. These kids/men have been through a lot and have been quiet for the longest time. Mr Zammit what if these kids happen to be right? Are you ready to apologize to them? You seem to be the judge and jury. Get out of that balloon you live in and listen to what these kids/men are saying.
edward bartolo
Jun 27th 2010, 18:41
For many people oaths don't have any value. The best deterrent is to fine liars very heavy.
k.pace
Jun 27th 2010, 19:57
Let's put another way....
Are the priests denying under oath?
Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 21:48
K.Pace, yes, they are witnessing under oath at our law courts.
William P Flynn
Jun 27th 2010, 12:29
There would be scores more who haven't come forward. And where did these priests serve before the orphanage and afterwards? Follow the stench trail.
The Attorney General should start an official independent enquiry into child abuse by clergy.
Where are the files of past cases Mgr Scicluna? Are they going to be given to the police to follow up as they do in Ireland? Or is Malta a special place where justice for child rape is excused as a crime? Are our children less valuable than Irish children in the eyes of the Vatican?
Defrocking? Big deal! Everywhere else they get a prison sentence.
J.Bonnici
Jun 27th 2010, 11:44
Nilghab imhatra ma' min irid li hadd mill-qassisin ma jmur il-habs. Dan kollu bzar fl-ghajnejn.
renald williams
Jun 27th 2010, 11:24
There would be less sad meetings, if the Words of Jesus are followed.
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
Ian Chetcuti
Jun 27th 2010, 13:36
Say Whaaaaaaat?
William P Flynn
Jun 27th 2010, 15:15
And there was the Vicar of Dibley who was a woman. And she was very funny and in the end she married this bloke. And she flew to heaven in the final episode which is on Youtube. And it was good. Amen I say to thee. Watch it, very funny.
Jesus had a father-in-law? Renald mate, if you see people walking around with firewood, and they ask for a light, run!
Louise Vella
Jun 27th 2010, 10:02
It is obvious that the whole system is organised to hide the facts and let the alleged perpetrators go scot free. The cases have been before the courts since 2003! Why are they not concluded? And what about the Curia`s Response Team? We are in this situation because for years and years the Curia`s Response Team, composed of persons close to the Curia, have done everything they could to keep a heavy lid on all these cases. They were more interested in protecting the Church`s and the priests` reputation than in letting these facts be known so that other crimes could be avoided in future. The culture of omerta` is alive and well in Malta.
Joseph Micallef
Jun 27th 2010, 10:45
Who knows - maybe one/some of the perpetrators is a public figure or someone with a "holy" public image - and they are finding it difficult to take action against him/them. I would not be surprised. It does smell of a cover-up!
Carmelo Aquilina
Jun 27th 2010, 12:46
I agree - why isn't the state investigating these crimes ? This feels like a PR exercise for the church which is doing it's best in the words of its own documents "not to give scandal to the faithful" never mind sheltering criminals, and denying victims justice and compensation... shame ! Why is Mg Scicluna dragged down from Rome instead of the local Church giving victims what they are asking for ? The spinelessness of he Government and its deference to the Church cover up is equally scandalous.
Joe Zammit
Jun 27th 2010, 21:46
The Catholic Church, thank God, is doing her duty according to the Law of the Church. No one is going to dictate to the Church what to do. We have then our criminal law. According to our law ONLY the victims can lodge a complaint to the police. If they do nothing, the police cannot take an action. I would like to point out as well that any false report to the police is a criminal offence penalized by imprisonment.