New Vatican rules response to Maltese inquiries delays - victim

Joseph Calleja

Jul 17th 2010, 17:11

Sweeping more dirt under the carpet? It never ends especially in Malta. I wish these poor victims and abused children, now men, will have the courage to make a formal complaint with the police. Nothing irregular is going to happen, the church will apologize and business as usual. It has been going on for the longest time and so far nothing but empty promises from the church. We know who some of the alleged abused are but we have no idea who some of the alleged abusers are. If found guilty, defrocking these priest is not enough, far from it. I think the church should compensate these abused kids for the suffering and pain they have endured. All concerned should be brought to a court of law and give testimony under oath. These kids/men need closure and so does the church. Let's not drag this whole drama into more years to come. More Vatican rules, another delay tactic?

Mario Tabone-Vassallo

Jul 17th 2010, 10:38

Illi qed ninsew huwa li, minbarra l-ligi Kanonika, hawn il-ligi Civili. Mill-lat Kanoniku, bhala Kattoliku prattikanti, nassumi li l-Knisja qed timxi sewwa. Mill-lat Civili, m'ghandix dubju li s-setghat Maltin ma humiex jimxu sewwa, qed jidhqu bin-nies. Min jikser il-Ligi Civili ghandu jirrispondi fi Qrati Civili. B'dal-qattgha ftahir bir-registru ta' min jabbuza sesswalment lil minorenni, il-gvern qed jitfa' bzar f'ghajnejn in-nies. Jekk il-membri tal-kleru li jabbuzaw minorenni qatt ma jidhru quddiem Qrati Civili, ma huma qatt ser jidhru f'dar-registru u jibqghu sejrin kif kienu. Jghidu x'jghidu, hekk gara u hekk isehh. Bizzejjed insemmi l-Legjunarji ta' Kristu, izda hemm hemel iktar. Orwelljana li, meta l-annimali indaqs, il-hniezer ikunu ndaqs iktar.

William P Flynn

Jul 17th 2010, 10:20

A good way to avoid "instances when the Response Team closed its case, passing on its report to the Archbishop only to have other people coming up later wanting to testify," is for the Attorney General to call for a thorough, secular, independent enquiry into priest child rape to encourage those who have suffered to come forward.

The statute of limitations in the case of child rape should be abolished and the police given full power to pursue the offenders until they are brought to justice.
The addition of insult to injury and judiicial joke called the "Response Team" should be declared illegal.

Which crime should be adjudicated by the institution, the system and the negligent that created it?

Only a secular court has the mandate to judge criminal child rape by anyone

Gerry Cowie

Jul 17th 2010, 10:19

"The Vatican is taking our case very seriously and I am convinced that these new rules are, in part, a result of the scandalous delay in our case," Mr Magro said.
Coming from an alleged victim, it is encouraging that he and others feel that something is being done. Whilst the delay has been inexcusable, let us hope that what is going on leads to a full investigation and earthly punishment for the perpetrators.
And whilst the Church remains a soft target for many, let there be an increased focus on the widespread abuse which goes on in the world across secular society and, sadly, within families, much of which also gets covered up and unreported.