Archbishop Scicluna: Clerical abuse reporters will be fully protected under new Church law

Speaking to The Malta Independent yesterday, Archbishop Scicluna stressed that not only is every cleric the world over duty-bound to report any abuse they know of, they will be fully protected against any discrimination and harassment that may result from doing so, with checks and balances in place for reports to be received and a support structure for the victims of abuse.

Archbishop Scicluna explains the checks and balances put in place, to which not even he is immune: “Procedures for reporting and investigating have been put in place for when people in authority within the Church – such as cardinals, patriarchs, bishops, and major superiors – commit crimes or are guilty of misconduct.

“There is a role given to the metropolitan, the senior bishop in a province. For example, I am the metropolitan of Malta and my brother bishop is the bishop of Gozo. So if I am guilty of misconduct, people should go to the bishop of Gozo to report me, and if the bishop of Gozo needs to be reported, people come to me.

“Furthermore, in every case, the representative of the Holy See in the country, the nuncio, is also to be informed. The more important thing is that all these procedures follow a very close link with the Holy See and the metropolitan and the Holy See’s policy indications. 

“This is a guarantee of impartiality and it is also a guarantee of that link between the local Church and the Holy See.”

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-05-12/local-news/Archbishop-Scicluna-Clerical-abuse-reporters-will-be-fully-protected-under-new-Church-law-6736208017

The Washington Post: When the Vatican faces a major sex-abuse scandal, he’s the man the pope sends in.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/when-the-vatican-faces-a-major-sex-abuse-scandal-hes-the-man-the-pope-sends-in/2019/05/12/b809e896-5623-11e9-aa83-504f086bf5d6_story.html