10 years after its establishment Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors posted her first one on Tuesday report. It summarizes research on five continents and in various institutes and religious congregations, including the Roman Curia.
As highlightedis a pilot report. It included observations, conclusions and recommendations. “This is the first attempt to capture not only the theoretical foundations of this long-term work, but also to pilot the application of this theory by presenting what is currently happening in local churches and communities. The focus was on policies, procedures and mechanisms required by church normsestablished to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. It also focuses on offering care to those affected by abuse,” the document reads.
The report is not an audit of abuses in the Church, it does not contain many statistics and figures. During the presentation of the report, it was emphasized that questionnaireon the basis of which the research was conducted, was completed by only 20%. diocese. The chairman of the commission is Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley he said that jis “very disappointed” about this.
Speaking about the Church's past, he said it was “a dark period in which distrust hinders the Church's ability to be a witness of Christ.”
Vatican. The report of the Pontifical Commission was presented
According to Tomasz Terlikowski the most interesting part of the report are the recommendations. – The first, absolutely fundamental thing is accelerating the pace of proceedings. The authors of the report rightly note that the fact that such proceedings last two, three, four years violates confidence in the justice of these proceedings – emphasizes the journalist, philosopher and Catholic activist.
Another postulate mentioned in the report concerns: transparency. – It has been said for years that canon law should be changed. It does not treat injured persons as parties to the proceedings. They are witnesses, they do not have access to all files. This has to be changed, says Terlikowski.
According to him, the current provision puts the wronged in a position witnesses of the proceedings, is “bizarre”. – Wronged they should have all the rights of a party in this matter, greater than those of the diocese, the bishop, because it is they who are wronged – not the bishop, not the diocese and not the Church – emphasizes the publicist.
Vatican report. Terlikowski: Some people don't want transparency
The above-mentioned transparency, in Terlikowski's opinion, refers primarily to: Vaticanu. – In the case of recent decisions regarding Polish bishops, the Church did not fail Polandfailed the Apostolic Nuncio i Vatican. The nuncio did not explain why Archbishop Dzięga (a few months ago the Apostolic Nunciature announced that Archbishop Andrzej Dzięga resigned from the service of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Szczecin-Kamień – ed.) is retiring. He corrected it under pressure from Polish bishops, but three days later. It is the Vatican that establishes canon law, not the Polish Church – he reminds.
– There are undoubtedly people in the Vatican, including those cooperating with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who have done a lot in this matter – emphasizes Terlikowski. However, he notes that next to them there is also a whole group that does not want transparency. – It would mean, for example, the need to deal with a lot of accusations against hierarchs, including very famous ones, and to face the question of the responsibility of popes, prefects, dicasteries and congregations. Some Vatican clergy do not want to do this – Terlikowski emphasizes.
The columnist estimates that The Polish Church is at the forefront when it comes to holding bishops accountablewho did not respond to cases of abuse. – We were a place where certain solutions were tested. Of course, it is true that punished bishops in the vast majority of cases are unable to account for their actions. But this is an issue that neither the Vatican nor the commission has any influence on, he says.
Catholic Church. Compensation for victims
The committee's next recommendation is: the matter of compensation for victims. As Tomasz Terlikowski points out, this thread is particularly important from the perspective Polish Church. – The Commission says: “Yes, injured people deserve compensation.” This compensation is to have various dimensions, including financial ones. It is also supposed to involve an official admission of guilt and an apology. Some Polish bishops have problems with clearly expressing their own responsibility, including responsibility for the activities of the diocese. There is still no recognition that compensation must be paid for the bishop's negligence or the priest's crimes – explains the publicist.
Papal the committee also emphasizes the need to speed up procedures, related to the dismissal of church superiors who did not respond to abuses. – We know and have seen in Polandthat it could take years. And when a bishop is dismissed, it is still unclear why. This is unacceptable, the truth is a fundamental issue here, says Terlikowski.
The commission says that studies should be established at pontifical universities to help minors – It can be said that Poland is a forerunner in this matter – says Tomasz Terlikowski. In Poland, such studies already exist – on Ignatianum University in Krakow students learn, among others: how to recognize symptoms of violence in children and adolescents.
Would you like to talk to the author? Write to: anna.nicz@firma.interia.pl
Stay up to date and become one of over 200,000 followers of our fanpage – like Interia Events on Facebook and comment on our articles there!