‘Investigate other cases’
Lawrence Grech yesterday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Victims of two former priests whose prison sentences for child abuse were confirmed by an Appeals Court yesterday have called on the Government to investigate the files of similar cases that were being “hidden” by the Church.
Speaking on the steps of the court shortly after a judge confirmed the imprisonment of their abusers, Lawrence Grech said he wanted to appeal to the Government to investigate other claims.
He said he also wanted to appeal to victims of sex abuse to come forward and make their claims known to the police.
The files of abuse cases were being hidden by the Church in the Curia, he claimed.
Mr Grech said that once the case of the victims he represented became public, the Church had spent considerable funds on lawyers and yet not provided any assistance. The victims would continue to seek compensation from the Church through the courts.
He said that “besides the power, the lawyers and the money in court, there is only one thing that is important and that is the truth”.
Asked to comment, the Curia said that like any other institution, the Church held its own records and archives and had its own rules on how and which of these documents were made public.
“This does not mean ‘hiding’,” it said.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
44 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Raymond Sammut
Nov 16th 2012, 03:22
Congratulations to Mr Grech for his tremendous courage. The Maltese prime minister should authorise a Presidential Commission to investigate the Roman Catholic church in Malta.
This commission would be on par with the Royal Commission that has just been authorised by the Australian prime minister, given the Roman Catholic church is now facing allegations that amount to "organised criminality".
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 20:53
Where our law wants, it speaks of compensation. Say, if we take Chapter 248 Press Act, it speaks of compensation in the case of libel.
But in the case of sexual abuse the law does not offer any compensation and no competent lawyer is going to sue for compensation.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 14th 2012, 23:07
Joe.
The victims will now institute Civil Court Proceedings against the ex-priests and their employer, the Church, for monetary damages. The case will be defended with the aid of Church (ie.people's) money, and the whole thing will be dragged out for as long as possible until the Church eventually and confidentially settles out of Court.
Watch this space.
Gerry Cowie
Nov 14th 2012, 19:02
Justice must be done, absolutely and without question.
Louise Vella has made many comments below about the Church 's actions. What firm evidence can she offer in absolute proof of these comments?
If they are true and indeed public knowledge then the Church has some explaining to do, without doubt!
It's amazing the number of cases of abuse in families which have been reported recently too.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 17:01
Our Criminal Law, Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta, article 203 (3) states: “No proceedings shall be instituted in respect of any offence under this article except on the complaint of the injured party”.
Article 203 speaks of defilement of minors.
Joe Mallia
Nov 14th 2012, 17:31
How can you justify wrong and criminal acts? The Church should not take advantage of the judicial system. but should lead by example. Hiding criminal acts is simply wrong. The truth must prevail at all costs.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 19:46
Mr Mallia,
The Church does lead by example. She obeys the law: she has two laws: Canon Law and Maltese Law.
The Church is a Mother indeed and as a Mother she honours confidentiality. That's why we trust her.
She did not hide criminals. The victims, in case, knew who the criminals were and did nothing. So the victims are at fault and not our Mother Church.
Joe Mallia
Nov 14th 2012, 21:22
How can the Church be credible in its teachings when its deeds differ so much f? How can it pretend to have a parental role when it does not lead by example? When transparency is missing, credibility is lost.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 16:13
The curia is serious. No-one is going to lead her by the nose!
There is the law and the law is equal to all.
Who has asked for compensation in all the hundreds of sexual abuse we have had? No- one, simply because there is no law granting compensation for these crimes.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 14th 2012, 22:29
Joe, PLEASE stop confusing Criminal Law with Civil Law. The vile acts committed by the ex-priests were 'Crimes'. Therefore, the case was heard in the CRIMINAL COURT which does not have jurisdiction to award monetary damages to the victims. HOWEVER, the victims are not precluded from issuing a NEW claim for damages against the priests and their employers, the Church, in the CIVIL COURT.
Colin Stanley
Nov 14th 2012, 15:47
the priests involved got what was coming to them, but how can someone say that his life was ruined by the priests , if it was me i wouldn't want to see this person, never mind get married by him, so whats going on here?
Louise Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 13:41
Maltese priests have been suspended by the Vatican, because they have been found guilty of sexually abusing children, and only the Maltese bishops know who they are and where they are. Can the bishops continue to hide criminal priest child molesters from the police and the public with a clear conscience? Can they continue not to disclose the names of paedophile priests they have information on?
Carmelo Aquilina
Nov 14th 2012, 12:47
Oh yes Curia, if you are keeping records of criminal acts away from the police that is "hiding"
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 16:53
Carmelo,
No, it's not hiding; it's DUTY!
There are the victims, in case, who can lodge a complaint with the police.
The law itself says it's not hiding. The law ACCEPTS professional secrecy!!
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 12:35
Suggesting FORGIVENESS does not in any way boil down to judging. After all, admonishing sinners is one of the works of mercy.
God commands (not advises!) us to FORGIVE. If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us.
By declaring not to want to forgive, the victims are literally jumping from the frying-pan into the fire.
Gillian Snook
Nov 14th 2012, 16:52
but how can a child be expected to forgive someone who took their innocence? Someone they are taught to have complete faith in when that person is a PAEDOPHILE. That thought stays with them throughout their life and no amount of praying will make them forget.
You obviously haven't had to go through such a horrendous trauma in you life.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 17:20
Gillian,
It is possible to forgive, why not? Christ, who knows our nature, commands (not advises!) us to forgive.
Of course, memory continues to remember, and that is exactly the time when we can make another act of forgiveness to God. Every time the horrible event crops in our mind, turn to God and sincerely tell him: I FORGIVE as you have forgiven us!
Louise Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 12:04
Bishops protect the perpetrators and withhold facts. The police can competently deal with this. Cooperating with police is the change bishops need to make. If they won't make it, court orders should be issued. Children will be safer only when the police start doing all that they can to catch, expose, prosecute and jail both child molesting clerics and their complicit colleagues and supervisors.
Louise Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 12:03
The bishops won’t hand over the files because that will expose the full extent of the cover- up. The damage the current situation is nothing compared to the damage the full truth would do. Now that is scary when you think about it. The church has only one concern here, and that is the image of the church and how to protect it.
Joseph Bajada
Nov 14th 2012, 11:40
Do the same as Australia and have a royal commission to examine offences perpetrated by those we trusted with our children whether they be priests or lay people pretending to be child loving individuals when in fact they where / are predators who should be exposed and then locked away for the rest of their life- chemically castrate them so they will never get the urge to abuse children again.
Joseph Micallef
Nov 14th 2012, 11:38
Any compensation owed to these "victims" has already been paid. This was done during the many years thy have been fed, clothed, accomodated, educated, entertained and generally taken care off.
D Muscat
Nov 14th 2012, 17:08
Yes they were "taken care of". I might even agree on the "entertainment" and "education' part.
However, I'm sure you wouldn't dream of "entertaining " and "taking care" of your family the same way.
Are you trying to tell us that it's OK to abuse children as long as you fork out for their food and lodging? It sort of equals out?
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 11:20
Victims BEWARE
To seek compensation you need to sue in the Civil Court. You lose and you have to sue in the Court of Appeal. You lose and you have to sue in the Civil Court as a Constitutional Court. You lose and you can sue in the Court of Human Rights.
You lose and find yourselves dancing like Cinderella in the middle of great disappointments and ... a lot of expenses!
John Booth
Nov 14th 2012, 11:09
Since the church have protected these pedofiles all over the world the church should pay for it, I wonder Joe Zammit if you would forgive it was your son.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 16:38
John,
Yes, of course, I would forgive and heartily thank God for giving me an occasion where I can forgive.
More than half the court cases we have are fruit of lack of forgiveness. In them pique reigns supreme!
M Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 10:41
They have a right for compensation, same as our brothers in the EC.The church has got to pay up or face our Courts
Joseph Calleja
Nov 14th 2012, 12:10
there is no legal action against the church for legal action and compensation. the church has always offered assistance, if they declined then there is something fishy. if you really want help and cannot afford the bills that professionals can fork and someone wioll be willing to pay those whom you choose, hey, wouldn't you really take up the offer??
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 12:14
How can anyone face the courts when there is no law granting compensation in such cases? On what article of law can a lawyer sue?
Most comments depict clearly ignorance of law.
Carmel Camilleri
Nov 14th 2012, 16:09
I cannot see how the church is to pay up and not the individual priests. If a worker has done something wrong is the company to be held responsible? So all this trauma he talks about is about money. This has happened in other instances when we heard no more whining after being paid a handsome amount of money.
Louise Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 10:41
The police have a duty to conduct searches for evidence of violent crime, no matter who objects. Priest rapists and those who help cover-up their crimes should be treated like the criminals that they are. If the Church insists on protecting criminals then bishops should expect raids like those held in Belgium in June 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/world/europe/25belgium.html?_r=0
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 11:07
In the case of sexual offences, ALL SEXUAL OFFENCES, the police cannot take any criminal action unless they receive a complaint by the injured party. This is our LAW and only this law applies in our case.
Louise Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 10:40
In June 2010 Belgian civil authorities went to look for evidence of paedophile priests where all the information lies - in the Church's own premises. In Malta the Curia and Police Headquarters are very close - indeed on opposite sides of the same street. The Archbishop could just cross the road to give the police the contents of his secret archives containing files about paedophile priests.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 10:49
Belgium has one law; we have another law. The police are bound by our law and not by Belgian law.
Joseph Calleja
Nov 14th 2012, 12:07
then by your same token the police commissioner could cross the street when he feels that is the right thing to do and ask to see the content. but you can also go to the depot yourself and make this recommendation. Louise, you leave loads of judgemental and hate comments on these blogs, if you have a issue to square, take action and move on with your life.
Carmelo Aquilina
Nov 14th 2012, 12:52
Joe the archbishop has no claim to moral and ethical leadership if he does not hand over the files showing evidence of criminal acts . He is otherwise putting the interests of the church above those of its victims !
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 10:16
"The victims would continue to seek compensation from the Church through the courts."
There is absolutely NO MALTESE LAW that give the victims the right to compensation.
Carmelo Aquilina
Nov 14th 2012, 12:51
Let's see your legal genius tested in a European court of law Joe. WIlling to offer your hat to be eaten if you're wrong ?
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 16:03
Carmelo,
EU decisions are not binding.
Joe Zammit
Nov 14th 2012, 10:12
The police cannot investigate the files. Our law does not give them any power to do it. Sexual crimes have to be reported to the police by the victims themselves. There is nothing in the files that cannot be testified during a criminal court trial.
The other victims can FORGIVE!
Carmelo Aquilina
Nov 14th 2012, 12:48
That makes the Church complicit and criminally responsible for hiding crimes from the police - not to mention it is violating a direct instruction from Jesus about not harming children.
Mario Camilleri
Nov 14th 2012, 09:07
What these priests did was wrong...no body can deny!! but what i hate is that cause these are priests we share the news around the 4 winds but then when a father abuses his children physically and worse sexually....we hide there names and cannot be named!!! come on...lets be fare with all the people...i never saw cameras running after parents who abuse their children....
M Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 09:24
Very right.
Plus I have never heard or read anywhere that these fathers have ever been asked to give compensation to their children so why are some saying that the church should pay ?
C Abela
Nov 14th 2012, 09:56
in parent's cases the names of the abuser are not mentioned because most of the times their children are young and their trauma is already big enough to pass through all that let alone being on the media and letting all the citizens what they went through will make them suffer more! Also it was made such a big fuss becausewe don't expect priests to do such wrong, I know we all are human beings
Gordon Galea
Nov 14th 2012, 11:41
@ Mario Camilleri & M Borg, in this case, the victim(s) went public with this through their own initiative, and hence there was no need to protect the victims' identities in the first place. Also the crime was committed by priests, who preach very differently from what they actually practiced, so it was bound to be "shared around the 4 winds" as you put it.
Please choose the reason of your report below: