Say no to the “deadly culture of silence, the culture of omerta”. “Truth is the foundation of justice” and these two words should inspire the Church’s response to the “sad” phenomenon of child abuse in ecclesial communities. Mgr. Charles J. Scicluna, Promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, suggested some guidelines and principles for action as he spoke this morning at the International Symposium on sexual abuse that is taking place in Rome. His speech focused on “The Quest for Truth in Sexual Abuse Cases: A Moral and Legal Duty”. “I believe – said the prelate – that our response to the sad phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors should always be inspired by a honest quest for truth and justice”. In fact, the Church has need of that truth, which is justice, and of that justice, which is truth”. The first principle to follow is, then, “love for the truth which must be expressed in love for justice”. In his address to the bishops and religious superiors, Mgr. Scicluna highlighted other mistakes to avoid. Among them “the voluntary denial of known facts and the wrong argument according to which the protection of the good name of the institution must be given the top priority even to the detriment of the legitimate reporting of a crime. These – he said - are all enemies of justice”. (continued)

08/02/2012 -