BELGIUM: Police raid office of archbishop in abuse probe

Record ID: 334649

  • Title: BELGIUM: Police raid office of archbishop in abuse probe
  • Date: 25th June 2010
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FILE - APRIL 23, 2010) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ANDRE JOSEPH LEONARD BELGIAN ARCHBISHOP OF MECHELEN AND BRUSSELS (THIRD FROM THE LEFT) LEONARD AT NEWS CONFERENCE CROSS ON SOMEONE'S SUIT MORE OF LEONARD AT NEWS CONFERENCE LEONARD TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) BELGIAN ARCHBISHOP ANDRE JOSEPH LEONARD, SAYING: "When someone is put forward for presbyterian ordination or for episcopal ordination, and knows that there are cadavers in the cupboard of his past, his first duty is to refuse ordination and to not put himself forward" MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 10th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVAE804SXIP6ZGOXUUO80TIN9Y0
  • Story Text: Prosecutors raided the offices of the Belgian archbishop of Mechelen and Brussels on Thursday (June 24) after receiving allegations of sexual abuse of children at the heart of the Belgian church.
    The country's Catholic Church was not immediately available to comment.
    The Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels is headed by the most senior figure in the Catholic Church in Belgium, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard.
    The spokesman for the prosecutor declined to name any individuals suspected of abuse. "For the moment we are talking about general allegations," he said.
    In April, the bishop of Bruges resigned after admitting he had sexually abused a boy.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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