Eleven men subjected to years of child abuse by two priests claim they have never received the therapy promised by the Church.
Lawrence Grech, speaking on behalf of the victims, told Times of Malta he had never been approached by the Church, despite reports that some of the victims were receiving treatment last April.
“We have never heard from the Curia or any other Church body. The bishop set up a therapy board and we were never contacted by them either.
“We were told that this board would contact us but it didn’t. We have been abandoned,” he said.
The men were all victims of sexual abuse while teenagers in the early 1990s under the care of former priests Carmel Pulis and Godwin Scerri at St Joseph’s boys’ home.
The men were all contacted by the Church
Both priests, who were defrocked, are serving an 11-year prison term.
When contacted, a Curia spokesman denied Mr Grech’s claims and said the Church stood by what it had said last April. He insisted the men had all been contacted by the Missionary Society of St Paul in writing back in 2011. Since then, he added, some had even received counselling services.
“The men were all contacted by the Church. In fact, a number of them approached the MSSP themselves and are still receiving help,” the Church spokesman said.
Asked for the names of those receiving treatment, the spokesman said the Church would not reveal their identities. “We are obliged to respect and safeguard the individuals who approach the board and their privacy,” he said.
Times of Malta spoke to each of the victims, all of whom insisted they had never been contacted or received any treatment. Many of the victims said they had given up waiting.
“This is very expensive therapy. I am a working-class man. I can’t afford to pay €50 an hour every week. We were offered help and it’s just insulting that we have not been given anything,” said one of the victims, who preferred to remain unnamed.
Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna declined to comment, insisting that the case the victims had filed demanding damages from the Church was pending and so the matter could not be discussed.