Two bodies representing
Catholic religious on Tuesday released a statement expressing
shame at child sex abuse committed by members of the Church
ahead of this week's big meeting in the Vatican on the
protection of minors.
"This particular meeting focuses on the sexual abuse of
children and the abuse of power and conscience by those in
authority in the Church, especially bishops, priests and
religious," said a statement by the Union of Superior Generals
(USG) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISC).
"It is a story stretching back for decades, a narrative of
immense pain for those who have suffered this abuse.
"We bow our heads in shame at the realisation that such abuse
has taken place in our Congregations and Orders, and in our
Church.
"We have learned that those who abuse deliberately hide their
actions and are manipulative.
"By definition, it is difficult to uncover this abuse.
"Our shame is increased by our own lack of realisation of
what has been happening.
"We acknowledge that when we look at Provinces and Regions in
our Orders and Congregations across the world, that the response
of those in authority has not been what it should have been.
"They failed to see warning signs or failed to take them
seriously.
"Our hope for this meeting is that the Holy Spirit will work
powerfully during these three days.
"A three-day meeting is a short time.
"However, we believe that with the winds of change blowing
through our Church and with goodwill on all sides, important
processes and structures of accountability can be started and
the ones already in place can be supported.
"New steps forward can be imagined and decisions can be made
so that implementation can follow speedily and universally with
proper respect for different cultures.
"The abuse of children is wrong anywhere and anytime: this
point is not negotiable".
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