Card. David to the faithful: ‘Do not hesitate to report priests guilty of sexual abuse’.
The appeal by the president of the bishops' conference after the 82 Philippine-related cases denounced in a report by the NGO BishopAccountability. Also among the problems are cases of Filipino priests incardinated in the United States returning home after being accused there. ‘In the protection of minors and vulnerable people we need the help and participation of the laity, including journalists in the search for the truth.’
Manila (AsiaNews) - ‘Do not hesitate to report members of the clergy who are guilty of abuse to both civil and ecclesiastical authorities,' appealed Card. Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan and president of the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, today, speaking to the uproar sparked by the release of a list of 82 priests and religious publicly accused of sexual abuse against minors but against whom no appropriate action was allegedly take that was published on 29 January by the American observatory BishopAccountability.org.
These are both Filipino priests accused of abuse in the Philippines or abroad, and foreign clergy who have served in the country. In a note issued by the Episcopal Conference of Manila, Card. David recalls that ‘accountability is an important aspect of Pope Francis’ call for greater synodality in the Church. He expects bishops to ensure that all our church institutions are safe spaces, especially for minors and vulnerable adults.’
‘We welcome initiatives to empower people in any form of authority, including the Church,’ the cardinal further added. ’This is part of the Pope's call for a more synodal Church. The Church, being a human institution, is not exempt from sin and corruption. And it is true that a lack of responsibility compromises our moral and spiritual authority'.
The president of the Philippine Bishops' Conference recalls that - after the abuse scandals that have emerged in Europe and America - the universal Church has committed itself ’to address the problem organically and create structures to ensure that our institutions are maintained as safe spaces for minors and vulnerable adults.
"Pope Francis,' he recalls, ’has been more assertive in imposing disciplinary actions on us bishops if he finds evidence that we are not even lifting a finger to impose disciplinary sanctions on our erring priests. Of course,' he adds, ’we do not always succeed in this and we need the help and participation of our laity, including journalists who are our allies in the search for truth, fact-checking and the fight against disinformation. Let us keep the bridges open between us'.
Card. David finally acknowledged one of the specific problems raised by the BishopAccountability.org report: ‘In a sense,’ he writes, ‘it is true that we do not know how to deal with clerics accused of crimes in the United States who may be hiding in the Philippines. It is important that the bishops of the dioceses in which they have been incardinated in the United States inform us, the bishops of the Philippines, of these cases, so that we can take appropriate action if they are hiding in our dioceses or attempting to minister in the Philippines even though they have been suspended in the United States'.
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