ITALY: U.S. groups representing victims of sex abuse by priests are sceptical about the role of Pope Francis in tackling child sex abuse by priests

Record ID: 334677

  • Title: ITALY: U.S. groups representing victims of sex abuse by priests are sceptical about the role of Pope Francis in tackling child sex abuse by priests
  • Date: 14th March 2013
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (MARCH 14, 2013) (REUTERS) DIRECTOR OF THE SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS (SNAP) DAVID CLOHESSY AND ANNE BARRETT DOYLE, CO-DIRECTOR OF BISHOP ACCOUNTABILITY.ORG PREPARING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE DIRECTOR OF THE SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS (SNAP) DAVID CLOHESSY BEFORE NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOS OF ALLEGED VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY PRIESTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANNE BARRETT DOYLE, CO-DIRECTOR OF BISHOP ACCOUNTABILITY.ORG, SAYING: "The part of me that has faith in God remains hopeful but my faith does not derive from anything I have learned to date about the performance of this man in Argentina. Indicators so far, sadly suggest that he is someone content to be silent in the face of evil. Certainly we would have hoped for a new leader who had shown a tendency to be outspoken and bold and to even point a finger at the Church in a constructive way." PHOTOS OF ALLEGED VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY PRIESTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID CLOHESSY, DIRECTOR OF THE SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS (SNAP), SAYING: "A winning personality doesn't protect children, a tough administrator protects children and that's why amongst the various candidates we were encouraged by a handful who seemed to show real courage. And, we hope we have proven wrong, we haven't seen a great of indication that he is a man of great courage but we would love to be proven wrong." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID CLOHESSY, DIRECTOR OF THE SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS (SNAP), SAYING: "We made it clear in the letter that we are not looking for a pastoral visit. We want to meet with the sole purpose of focusing on preventing more crimes and cover ups." NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA366ZVCKB7IC5NAD6IURQ86UL0
  • Story Text: Members of U.S. groups representing victims of sexual abuse by priests said on Thursday (March 14) they are doubtful that the new Pope will make strong steps in the fight against sex abuse by members of the Catholic Church.
    Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the troubled Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday (March 13), taking the name Francis and becoming the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years.

    "Indicators so far, sadly suggest that he is someone content to be silent in he face of evil. Certainly we would have hopped for a new leader who had shown a tendency to be outspoken and bold and to even point a finger at the Church in a constructive way," Anne Barret Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability.org, said at a news conference in Rome.
    Bergoglio is known as a humble man who leads an austere and sober life without ostentation, travelling by public transport and living in a small apartment outside Buenos Aires.
    David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said that, although much of the information about the new pope has been positive, there is scepticism about his real capacity to face the issue of sexual abuse in the Church.

    "A winning personality doesn't protect children, a tough administrator protects children and that's why amongst the various candidates we were encouraged by, a handful who seemed to show real courage. And, we hope we have proven wrong, we haven't seen a great of indication that he is a man of great courage but we would love to be proven wrong," he said.
    Clohessy said his organisation sent a letter on Thursday morning requesting an audience with Pope Francis.

    "We made it clear in the letter that we are not looking for a pastoral visit. We want to meet with the sole purpose of focusing on preventing more crimes and cover ups," he said.
    Francis has became the 266th pontiff in the Church's 2,000-year history at a time of great crisis, with the church under fire over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy.
    SNAP has filed a report with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which criticises the Vatican in its handling of clergy sex crimes. It is the first time the organisation has made a formal appeal to the UN for help with the crisis.
    END
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