woensdag, maart 31, 2010

Je zingt vals, wil jij niet meezingen, ?



3 nonnen in de slotgang, 1 in de keukendeuropening, 2 in de refter met hun familie aan tafel
Soms vervloek ik die dag, dat ik er 4 zag huilen.
Die minachtende blikken naar het bedienend personeel onder de feestende familie vervloekte ik toen gelukkig al.

Slachtofferindustrie in de rk pluimveehouderij



Zorgbrief seksueel misbruik rk kerk
31 maart 2010

Wij blijven katholiek, u ook?

Aan het begin van de Goede Week ligt de rooms-katholieke kerk zwaar onder vuur. Steeds meer verhalen van seksueel misbruik van kinderen en (jong)volwassenen door priesters, paters en zusters komen naar buiten. In tal van landen worden onafhankelijke commissies ingesteld (zoals in Nederland en Ierland).

Wij schamen ons diep voor de schanddaden die door medekatholieken in het ambt anderen zijn aangedaan. Daden die nooit hadden mogen gebeuren, maar toch zijn gebeurd. We erkennen dat ten volle, maar we kunnen die situatie niet terugdraaien. Wij delen in de pijn van de slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik en zijn blij met de excuses die hun zijn aangeboden.



Paters boden slachtoffer misbruik zwijggeld aan
Geplaatst door onze redactie op woensdag 31 maart 2010 om 11:15u (Bron: Het Nieuwsblad)

STEVENSBEEK (RKnieuws.net) - De paters Sacramentijnen in Stevensbeek hebben aan minstens één slachtoffer van seksueel misbruik binnen hun kloosterorde zwijggeld willen betalen. Het slachtoffer nam het geld niet aan.De nu volwassen man kwam toen hij dertien was en op internaat zat bij ene pater Piet terecht nadat hij op zijn staartbeen was gevallen. ’Pater Piet smeerde zalf op mijn stuitje. Daarna moest ik meerdere keren terugkomen en elke keer mondde dat uit in seks.’ Het misbruik stopte toen de jongen bij de directeur werd geroepen. Die gaf de jongen de schuld. Toch boden de paters hem 4.000 euro aan, ’op voorwaarde dat ik niks tegen de pater zou ondernemen’.


Ze waren luidruchtig, oorverdovend zelfs. Maar de picknickende
Engelsen aan de andere kant van het gangpad, de oudere mensen,
de jonge gezinnen op hun eigen bankje, hoorden niets.
Op hun eigen, keurige manier gingen de picknickers verder met eten,
en verder werd iedereen stil en kleintjes [...]
''Het weerbericht heeft mooi weer voorspeld" zei een van de Touchmores.
''Pap, waarom zeggen die mannen 'flikker op"?
"Geen idee, lieverd. Laat me nu even rustig de krant lezen"
Zijn stem klonk nerveus, alsof hij zijn adem had ingehouden. Iets wat ik in elk geval wel had gedaan...
"Ze zeiden het weer, pap. 'Vuile flikker' "
"Stil schat. Zachtjes nu"
"En die zei: "Klootzak''''
"Nu is het genoeg schat'.
De man sprak op gedempte toon, alsof niemand het mocht horen.
(Geciteerd door Daniel Goleman, uit Paul Theroux, The Kingdom by the Sea. De behoefte te noteren waar precies Goleman dit citeerde ontbrak mij echter. D.G. legde het (ergens) naast een ingezonden brief over zitplaatsgedrag tov een zwangere vrouw, niet onwaarschijnlijk in Vital lies, simple truths. The psychology of self-deception. )



vers van de lever:
vooral dat "wij delen in de pijn...."
Mocht je willen, heeft de ervaring me inmiddels wijs gemaakt.
En laat daarmee nu toch uitgerekend zo'n klootzak, foei nee, vrome katholiek met wijding natuurlijk , die tegenover een slachtoffer, ik in dit geval, die probeert haar mond open te doen zí'jn mond open deed, - natuurlijk in het stiekemste geniep gebruik makend van zijn dankzij (nog zo'n ondertekenaar der beschaving) uitsluiting vermeende mogelijkheid - nu in plaats van zijn kennelijk geliefde zweepje een paar interessante vragen over sociale kaders en beschaving op tafel leggen.
Schep aan tafel wat ijsbergsla en een vierde deel van het kippenlevermengsel
op het bovenste deel van een tortilla, sla de onderkant
van de tortilla over de vulling, vouw de zijkanten er over heen.
Tips
Geef er eventueel een tacosaus bij, kant-en-klaar uit een pot,
zoals guacamole (met avocado) of nachosaus (met Mexicaanse kaas).<>

maandag, maart 29, 2010

FR. LOMBARDI: CHURCH COMMITMENT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE




VATICAN CITY, 27 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a note released by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., entitled "Vigil of Holy Week".

"The question of the sexual abuse of minors by members of the Catholic clergy has continued to receive wide coverage in the communications media of many countries, especially in Europe and North America, coverage which has continued over recent days following the publication of the Pope's Letter to the Catholics of Ireland.

"This is no surprise. The nature of the question is such as to attract the attention of the media, and the way in which the Church deals with it is crucial for her moral credibility.

"The truth is that the cases that have come to public attention generally took place some time ago, even decades ago, although recognising them and making amends with the victims is the best way to restore justice and to achieve that 'purification of memory' which enables us to look to the future with renewed commitment, with humility and trust.

"A contribution to this trust comes from the many positive signals emerging from various episcopal conferences, bishops and Catholic institutions in different countries on the various continents: directives for the correct handling and prevention of abuses, which have been reiterated, updated and renewed in Germany, Austria, Australia, Canada etc.

"In particular, one piece of good news is the seventh annual report on the application of 'Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People' of the Church in the United States. Without indulging in misplaced congratulations, we cannot but recognise the extraordinary preventative efforts being undertaken, with numerous formational and training courses both for the young people and for pastoral and educational staff. And it must acknowledged that the number of accusations of abuse has dropped by more than 30 percent over the last year, and most of them concerned cases more than thirty years old. Without entering into further details, it must be recognised that the decisive measures currently being implemented are proving effective: the Church in the United States is on the right road to renewal.

"This, we feel, is an important piece of news in the context of recent media attacks, which have undoubtedly proved harmful. But an impartial observer will not fail to notice that the authority of the Pope and the intense and coherent commitment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have not been weakened, rather they have been confirmed in their support and guidance to bishops to combat and root out the blight of abuse wherever it appears. The Pope's recent Letter to the Church in Ireland is powerful testimony of this, and contributes to preparing the future along the path of 'healing, renewal, reparation'.

"With humility and trust, in a spirit of penance and hope, the Church now enters Holy Week asking the mercy and grace of the Lord, Who suffered and died for all".


OP/NOTE CLERGY ABUSE/LOMBARDI VIS 100329 (510)

Bas Plaisier: Besmeurd Instituut; RKK omroep alweer aktief mbt onderzoek Deetman Hoe was het verzwijgen van het RK misbruik in godsnaam mogelijk?

Gaat U maar rustig slapen, De omroep rkk waakt.
Als Goede Herder van onze gedachten werd ditmaal donderdag de onderstaande column van Bas Plaisier Besmeurd instituut, over de Kerk en het seksueel misbruik van haar site verwijderd.

Hierbij de tekst.
Ook geschikt voor minderjarigen zonder ouderlijk toezicht.

De veertig dagen waarin we ons bezinnen op het lijden van Jezus, worden dit jaar volledig bepaald door de afschuwelijke verhalen over het menselijk lijden door het seksueel misbruik in de kerk. Aan de reeks van verhalen van de slachtoffers lijkt maar geen eind te komen. Bij Hulp en Recht blijken er nu al 1100 meldingen zijn binnengekomen. Dit is zo’n onvoorstelbaar groot aantal, dat alle commentaar je in de mond besterft. De grond lijkt weg te glijden.

Regie kwijt
Deze affaire van misbruik, zwijgen en in de doofpot doen, raakt de gehele kerk en alle kerken. Je kunt je als protestant niet verschuilen achter een formele bewering dat het niet over de eigen kerk gaat. De Rooms-Katholieke Kerk staat in ons land vaak voor dé kerk. Zo wil ze ook zijn en zo zien veel buitenstaanders het ook. De seculiere media werken met eenvoudige schema’s. Als de kardinaal spreekt, heeft naar hun besef dé kerk het achterste van haar tong laten zien. Je kunt het betreuren en anders willen, de realiteit is niet anders. Dan is het dubbel pijnlijk als je ziet hoezeer de Katholieke Kerk in Nederland (en daarbuiten) in verwarring is en alle regie lijkt te zijn kwijtgeraakt en daarmee de schade alleen nog maar groter maakt.

Diepe krassen
Het raakt de hele kerk en alle mensen die zich christen noemen. ,,Is dit waarvoor de kerk staat? Kunnen christenen in naam van Jezus zo fout zijn, kan de kerk zo lang slapen?" vragen velen zich af. Inderdaad kan dit. Het is al begonnen toen de kerk - in de persoon van Petrus en zijn vrienden - in de tuin Gethsemane lag te slapen terwijl haar Heer in doodsnood lag te worstelen. ,,Waarom slaap je?", vroeg Jezus, ,,waak en bid", maar Hij was nog niet weg of ze dutten al weer in. ,,Toen liet hij hen" staat er in het evangelie. Voor mij een van de diepste krassen in het lijdensevangelie. Jezus heeft momenten dat Hij niets meer van zijn kerk verwacht... (Matteüs 26: 40-44)

Verfomfaaide lap
Juist in het falen en slapen lijken alle kerken heel erg op elkaar - geen kerk heeft schone handen. Ook al ziet de RK-Kerk de meeste andere kerken niet als kerk, omdat die niet hebben wat zij heeft en pretendeert te zijn, maar ze zijn onweerlegbaar samen kerk in hun falen, in wat ze nalaten en verdoezelen. ,,Van één lap gescheurd", zo wordt in oud-protestantse taal over ons gemeenschappelijke kerk-zijn gezegd, als blijkt dat we een verfomfaaide lap laten zien van het oorspronkelijke gave kleed.


Heilige kerk
Als dat zo is, zouden alle kerken zich deze diepe crisis moeten aantrekken en het ’bidden en waken’ juist nu moeten intensiveren. Dit is ook de tijd om bij elkaar te komen om de grote schade onder ogen te zien, om gezamenlijk schoon schip te maken en alle smoezen en goedpraterij, zwijgen en bedekken achter ons te laten. De kerk is niet heilig door heilig te doen en haar eigen imago op te poetsen. Ze is niet heilig door pausen, bisschoppen en geestelijken in bescherming te nemen door het kleed van stilzwijgen erover te werpen. Ze beantwoordt alleen aan haar ’apart-gesteld-zijn’ als zij zich, na een niets verhullende schuldbelijdenis waarin geen reputatie gespaard wordt, toevertrouwt aan de ontferming van haar Heer. Alleen als Christus haar ’heilig’ noemt en vergeeft, is deze onheilige heilig.

Schandelijke werkelijkheid
Met de onthullingen van dit misbruik is een wereldwijd voorkomend systeem van verhulling aan het licht gekomen waarbij het uit de wind houden van betrokkenen nog steeds doorgaat. Dit is de grootste crisis. Ondanks dat klampt de kerk zich vaak nog vast aan de wonderlijke constatering dat het eigenlijke wezen van het lichaam niet geraakt is en het kerkelijk instituut ongeschonden en onveranderd hieruit tevoorschijn kan komen. De RK-Kerk is slachtoffer geworden van haar eigen heiligheidsidee, waardoor ze de schandelijke werkelijkheid en de zwakke punten in haar kerk-zijn niet kon en wilde zien. Is er dan geen verandering nodig?

VoedingsbodemHet gaat allang niet meer om het beeld van de kerk dat verdedigd moet worden. Door dit alles is de naam en het gezicht van Christus besmeurd. Dan rest je als kerk niets anders meer dan volstrekte openheid, openlijke schuldbelijdenis en een royale handreiking naar de slachtoffers. Het is ook nodig dat er een diepe bezinning op gang komt over de vraag of haar theologie van heiligheid niet een voedingsbodem kon worden van dit alles.
Kennelijk kan je je als kerk in je leersysteem zo opblazen, dat je de realiteit van 'zondigen' en 'slapen' uit het oog verliest. Misschien is dit ook de gelegenheid om vanuit de huidige realiteit te kijken naar het celibaat.
De kerk komt er niet mee weg door almaar de mantra te herhalen dat er overal affaires zijn. Heeft het de RK-Kerk werkelijk niets te zeggen dat de meerderheid van kerken het celibaat niet meer kent?

Besmeurd instituut
Voor velen in ons land is de kerk nu een besmeurd instituut. Daar kan al ons spreken over de heilige kerk niet meer tegenop. Er is een totale verandering nodig, die begint met onze gezamenlijke belijdenis dat wij het niet meer waard zijn om Christus' kerk genoemd te worden. Wellicht dat in die zelfontlediging iets van de heiligheid van de kerk zichtbaar zou kunnen worden. Opdat Hij ons niet zal achterlaten...



zondag, maart 28, 2010

Credibility gap: Pope needs to answer questions


The Holy Father needs to directly answer questions, in a credible forum, about his role -- as archbishop of Munich (1977-82), as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1982-2005), and as pope (2005-present) -- in the mismanagement of the clergy sex abuse crisis.

We urge this not primarily as journalists seeking a story, but as Catholics who appreciate that extraordinary circumstances require an extraordinary response. Nothing less than a full, personal and public accounting will begin to address the crisis that is engulfing the worldwide church. It is that serious.

To date, as revelations about administrative actions resulting in the shifting of clergy abusers from parish to parish emerge throughout Europe, Pope Benedict XVI's personal response has been limited to a letter to the Irish church. Such epistles are customary and necessary, but insufficient.

With the further revelations March 26 [2] by The New York Times that memos and meeting minutes exist showing that Benedict had to be at least minimally informed that an abuser priest was coming into the archdiocese of Munich and that he further had been assigned without restrictions to pastoral duties, it becomes even more difficult to reconcile the strong language of the pope in his letter to Irish bishops and his own conduct while head of a major see.

No longer can the Vatican simply issue papal messages -- subject to nearly infinite interpretations and highly nuanced constructions -- that are passively "received" by the faithful. No longer can secondary Vatican officials, those who serve the pope, issue statements and expect them to be accepted at face value.

We were originally told by Vatican officials, for example, that in the matter of Fr. Peter Hullermann, Munich Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger approved the priest's transfer to the archdiocese, but had no role in the priest's return to parish ministry, where he again molested children. Rather, it was Fr. Gerhard Gruber, archdiocesan vicar general at the time, who, according to a March 12 Vatican statement, has taken "full responsibility" for restoring the priest to ministry. Gruber, subsequent to his statement, has not made himself available for questions.

We are told, moreover, that the case of Hullermann is the single instance during Ratzinger's tenure in Munich where a sexually errant priest was relocated to a parish where he could molest again. If true, this would be a great exception to what, in the two-and-a-half decades NCR has covered clergy abuse in the church, has been an ironclad rule: Where there is one instance of hierarchical administrative malfeasance, there are more.

Given memos and minutes placing the pope amid the discussions of the matter, we are asked to suspend disbelief even further.

Context of mismanagement
The first reported clergy sex abuse stories, dating back in NCR to 1985, focused on the misconduct of priests who had been taken to court by parents of molested children -- parents who had gone to church officials, but received no solace. Instead, what they received from church officials was denial and counter accusation.

Almost from the beginning of the coverage of these trials, it was clear the clergy sex abuse story had two consistent components: the abusing priest and the cover-up by the bishop.

The story grew as more survivors of abuse came forward. What soon became evident was that this was not primarily a story of wayward priests, but of an uncannily consistent pattern by individual bishops. In nearly every instance, bishops, faced with accusations of child abuse, denied them, even as they shuffled priests to new parishes, even as they covered up their own actions.

The story was first flushed out in the United States and soon across Canada. By the year 2000, sex abuse accusations were turning up across the globe. In the United States, the scandal flared anew in 2002 when a judge released thousands of pages of documents dealing with the sex abuse scandal in the Boston archdiocese. Suddenly, ordinary Catholics had access to the patterns involved in the cover-up and to the unfiltered language of memos and legal depositions and letters that outlined how church officials sought to protect perpetrators and marginalize their victims. All at once, the public outrage was commensurate with the hierarchy's outrageous behavior. The story would repeat itself around the country: Wherever documents were released or legal authorities conducted investigations, the depth of clerical depravity and the extent of hierarchical cover-up were far greater than previously acknowledged by church authorities.

Knowing they had an unprecedented crisis of credibility and facing potential multibillion-dollar liability, the U.S. bishops met in Dallas in June 2002. The whole world, represented by more than 800 members of the press, was watching.

There the prelates unveiled what came to be a "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People." It was intended to protect children from molestation, establishing a "one strike and you're out" policy for offending priests. It did nothing, however, to hold accountable individual bishops who engineered the cover-up.

By early 2001, responsibility for managing the church's response to the ongoing crisis was delegated to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Cardinal Ratzinger. The Vatican, by then, viewed the crisis as beyond the boundaries of any one national church.

Crisis crosses borders
In the last decade the story has not gone away. Rather it has continuously reared its head in nation after nation, especially in those countries with a free press and independent judicial system. A dominant characteristic of this story is that where and when it has emerged it has done so without the aid of church hierarchy. To the contrary, it has taken lawsuit after lawsuit, investigative report after investigative report, to bring this horrendous story to necessary light.

Another part of the pattern of this dispiriting tale is that church officials have never been in front of the story. Always late, always responding, and, therefore, at every step of the way losing credibility. This seemed to be the case once again with Benedict's pastoral letter to Irish Catholics.

By the time he issued the letter, the story had moved to his native country, Germany, and had touched him personally. In the past two months, there have been more than 250 accusations of sex abuse in Germany. From the German Catholic viewpoint, the pope's failure to mention anything about these abuse cases has pained them deeply and added to suspicions that the former archbishop of Munich has lost touch with his people.

Inexorably, a story that began with reports on trials in a few U.S. cities a quarter century back has now moved up the Catholic institutional ladder -- from priests to bishops to national bishops' conferences and to the Vatican itself. This last step is the one we see emerging this month. The new focus is unlikely to end anytime soon.

Time for answers
The focus now is on Benedict. What did he know? When did he know it? How did he act once he knew?

The questions arise not only about his conduct in Munich, but also, based also as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. A March 25 Times story [3], citing information from bishops in the United States, reported that the Vatican had failed to take action against a priest accused of molesting as many as 200 deaf children while working at a school from 1950 to 1974. Correspondence reportedly obtained by the paper showed requests for the defrocking of the priest, Fr. Lawrence Murphy, going directly from U.S. bishops to Ratzinger, then head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, now the Vatican secretary of state. No action was taken against Murphy.

Like it or not, this new focus on the pope and his actions as an archbishop and Vatican official fits the distressing logic of this scandal. For those who have followed this tragedy over the years, the whole episode seems familiar: accusation, revelation, denial and obfuscation, with no bishop held accountable for actions taken on their watch. Yes, there is a depressing madness to this story. Time after time, this is a story of institutional failure of the deepest kind, a failure to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a failure to put compassion ahead of institutional decisions aimed at short-term benefits and avoiding public scandal.

The strategies employed so far -- taking the legal path, obscuring the truth, and doing everything possible to protect perpetrators as well as the church's reputation and treasury -- have failed miserably.

We now face the largest institutional crisis in centuries, possibly in church history.
How this crisis is handled by Benedict, what he says and does, how he responds and what remedies he seeks, will likely determine the future health of our church for decades, if not centuries, to come.
It is time, past time really, for direct answers to difficult questions.

It is time to tell the truth.




Frederico Lombardi's valse vrienden



Der Mensch denkt Gott lenkt



„Der Herrgott hat entschieden. Ein Land weint.“ Onafhankelijk onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik in Oostenrijk

Geplaatst door onze redactie op zondag 28 maart 2010 om 16:40u

WENEN (RKnieuws.net) - In Oostenrijk komt er een onafhankelijk onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik, gepleegd door geestelijken. Dit heeft mg. Christoph Schönborn vandaag aangekondigd op de Oostenrijkse televisie.

Een vrouw, Waltraud Klasnic, oud gouverneur, krijgt de leiding van het onderzoek. Zij zal zelf haar onderzoeksteam samenstellen.

Het team zal door de Kerk gefinancierd worden maar geen enkele priester zal er deel van uitmaken. Het team zal de misbruikzaken onderzoeken en zal onder meer ook bepalen welke schadevergoeding de slachtoffers zullen krijgen.

En dat zou wel eens heel interessant nieuws kunnen zijn.

zaterdag, maart 27, 2010

Verjaring seksueel misbruik van kinderen afgeschaft (?) Redress window

NRC
Gepubliceerd: 27 maart 2010 22:03

Rotterdam, 27 maart. De verjaring van seksueel misbruik van kinderen wordt afgeschaft. Dit heeft minister van justitie Hirsch Ballin gezegd. Aanleiding zijn de recente onthullingen over misbruik van jongens door katholieke geestelijken.

Sinds de eerste berichten daarover, in NRC Handelsblad, hebben zich meer dan duizend gewezen slachtoffers gemeld. Voor het overgrote deel van deze gevallen geldt dat het misdrijf verjaard is.
Khadija Arib, Tweedekamerlid van de PvdA, vroeg op 2 maart of de minister bereid was de verjaringstermijn aan te passen. Een meerderheid in de Kamer was voor.

De minister beantwoordde deze vraag vanavond in RTL Nieuws bevestigend: “Ik vind het belangrijk dat de bescherming van het strafrecht ook bestaat als mensen zich heel veel later kunnen uitspreken, durven uitspreken en daarom zal er geen verjaring meer zijn van dit soort ernstige misdrijven.”

De ervaring leert dat minderjarige slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik er decennialang over zwijgen, uit schaamte of uit angst. Daarom was de verjaringstermijn, van twintig jaar, al verplaatst, naar het moment waarop het slachtoffer achttien jaar wordt.

Het afschaffen van de verjaringstermijn heeft alleen effect op nieuwe gevallen van misbruik.

Voor de oude gevallen van seksueel misbruik van kinderen blijft de verjaringstermijn van twintig jaar na het achttiende levensjaar van het slachtoffer van kracht.

vrijdag, maart 26, 2010

Solo le pido a Dios. Turtles can fly!










MISS LANDMINE CAMBODIA 2009 RECEIVES HER FINISHED 1st PRIZE LEG
Friday, March 19, 2010

Dear friends Khmer and far,


Yesterday, Miss Landmine Cambodia 2009 triple winner Dos Sopheap received her finished 1st prize prosthetic leg in her home near Battambang, Cambodia. The leg's cosmetic exterior has been completed in Norway since the last fitting of the titanium skeleton in December last year. Along with the state-of-the-art prothesis, Sopheap received another 1000 USD fromthe January voting in Harstad, Norway, earmarked her future education.



The Miss Landmine organisation will continue to hold the Cambodian authorities,represented by Minister of Social Affairs Ith Samheng and certain persons withinthe international humanitarian NGOs based in Cambodia, directly responsiblefor Sopheap's and the other Miss Landmine contestants' continued safety and integrity.


Everybody has the right to be beautiful!



Best from M and the Miss Landmine team



Gezocht: Vijftig mannen met seksueel misbruik binnen RKkerk

(binnengekomen)* PERSBERICHT Utrecht, 23 maart 2010
De Stichting Mannenhulpverlening na Seksueel Misbruik (MSM)

organiseert op maandag 5 april 2010 (tweede paasdag) een bijeenkomst in de Geertekerk te Utrecht voor mannen die in hun jeugd te maken hebben gehad met seksueel misbruik binnen de Rooms Katholieke Kerk.

De laatste weken worden overal in de media door slachtoffers individuele getuigenissen afgelegd over misbruik in pastorale relaties. In tegenstelling tot deze op zich zelf staande verhalen, biedt deze bijeenkomst de gelegenheid de ervaringen met elkaar te verbinden en zodoende het eenzame aspect van seksueel misbruik te doorbreken. Door het maken van verbindingen zal duidelijk worden welke impact seksueel misbruik heeft op een leven en welke ingrijpende gevolgen er het resultaat van zijn.

WE ZOEKEN 50 MANNEN die hun verhaal voor de microfoon willen vertellen.
Wij willen zo een ketting van verhalen maken die indruk maakt en de waarde en aandacht krijgt die het verdient. Bekennen, herkennen, erkennen:Wij vinden het nu noodzakelijk dat alle individuele verhalen worden gebundeld zodat het een collectief en maatschappelijk probleem wordt.
Voor heling van slachtoffers is het nodig om de ervaringen met veel anderen te delen. Als je dat niet doet dan blijf je er zelf mee zitten.

De Rooms Katholieke Kerk begint inmiddels te vragen om vergeving. Vergeving is echter alleen zinvol als ten volle in kaart is gebracht wat er vergeven moet worden. Op deze dag maken we daartoe een begin.De bijeenkomst is niet bedoeld om claims of aanklachten naar de Rooms Katholieke Kerk te formuleren, wel zullen de getuigenissen op video worden vastgelegd om zo een documentatie te vormen over de gebeurtenissen en de gevolgen daarvan.

Voor verdere informatie en inschrijving zie de website van de Stichting

* Crispina: het hier neerzetten van een binnengekomen persbericht betekent slechts het mede doorgeven van een binnen gekomen bericht. Ik onderschrijf de noodzaak van contacten en (help tot)zelfhelp, maar heb hierbij ik verder geen enkele verantwoordelijkheid omtrent personen, inhoud of organisatie of wat dan ook.
op de datum heb ik zoals duidelijk is gerotzooid dankzij een mij onbegrijpelijk maar technisch mogelijk idioot trucje.


Voor ieder die op welke wijze dan ook aan dit initiatief deelneemt, hoop ik van harte dat voor jou, en mensen om je heen, dit weer een van je waardevolle volgende stappen zal kunnen zijn!

donderdag, maart 25, 2010

Ierland Limmerick €6m; gezamelijke slachtoffers eisen opening van zaken via rechtbank



Nu de onderhandelingen met Munster en Leinster wegens gebrek aan medewerking van de bevoegde autoriteiten niet de te verwachten €6m zal opbrengen, hebben de slachtoffers, die zich al eerder hiertoe verenigden, besloten gezamelijk via de rechtbank opening van hun zaken op Goede Vrijdag af te dwingen!

Blond mokkel












View of a temple erected by the Blacks to commemorate their Emancipation.
Image taken from An historical account of the Black Empire of Hayti; comprehending a view of the principal transactions in the revolution of Saint Domingo, etc.
Originally published/produced in London, 1805.



Verkiezingen Tweede Kamer 09 juni 2010 Wir haben es nicht gewusst

Mijneer Simonis heeft een probleem.
De generatie bisschop plus ná hem nog veel meer!
En ik wil na al die discussies van de afgelopen weken wel eens weten waarom die ouders van die jongetjes op die klein seminaries en kostscholen hun zonen lieten aanranden en verkrachten.

De hypocrisie in vrijwel al die discussies komt mij meer dan mijn strot uit!

Kwaliteit gesloten jeugdzorg De Sprint volstrekt ontoereikend

De Inspectie jeugdzorg heeft haar rapport over de gesloten jeugdzorg bij De Sprint aangeboden aan de minister voor Jeugd en Gezin. Op grond van haar bevindingen beveelt de inspectie de minister aan om op korte termijn maatregelen te nemen om de uitvoeringspraktijk bij De Sprint te doen beëindigen.

17 maart 2010

De Inspectie jeugdzorg doet de komende jaren stapsgewijs onderzoek naar de kwaliteit van de gesloten jeugdzorg. Het nieuwe zorgaanbod is nog in ontwikkeling, daarom richt de inspectie haar onderzoek stapsgewijs in. Het toezicht stap 1 (de entreetoets) betreft de rechtspositie van de jongeren. Een goede rechtspositie is in de gesloten jeugdzorg erg belangrijk, omdat het gaat om jongeren die tegen hun wil in hun vrijheden beperkt kunnen worden. In februari 2010 heeft de Inspectie jeugdzorg de Entreetoets uitgevoerd bij de gesloten jeugdzorginstelling De Sprint te Wezep.

Op grond van de resultaten van de toets concludeert de inspectie dat van de negentien indicatoren er bij De Sprint slechts drie operationeel zijn. Dat wil zeggen dat er slechts op drie punten adequaat beleid is dat ook in de praktijk naar behoren wordt uitgevoerd.
Het meest ernstig vindt de inspectie:

- Sommige maatregelen die door De Sprint worden toegepast zijn strijdig met de wet
- De duur van het groepsproces is buiten proportie en in strijd met de kindspecifieke aanpak
- Jongeren voeren wettelijke maatregelen uit en houden toezicht
- Vastpakken en vasthouden geschiedt in strijd met de wet
- Jongeren hebben geen rechtstreekse toegang tot de klachtenregeling

In het rapport doet de inspectie geen aanbevelingen aan De Sprint omdat
de inspectie geen mogelijkheden ziet voor aanbevelingen op onderdelen.

Dit komt omdat de geconstateerde tekortkomingen systematisch samenhangen met de uitvoeringspraktijk bij De Sprint. Derhalve beveelt de Inspectie jeugdzorg de minister van Jeugd en Gezin aan om op korte termijn maatregelen te nemen teneinde de uitvoeringspraktijk bij De Sprint te doen beëindigen.

Entreetoets De Sprint, Onderzoek naar de gesloten jeugdzorg bij De Sprint, onderdeel van de Hoenderloo Groep (pdf 196 Kb)

woensdag, maart 24, 2010

Simonis “Wir haben es nicht gewußt”; en Verwegistans Richard Sipe. De infantiliteit van het systeem.

Zoonlief, 15 jaar oud komt thuis van zijn rooms katholieke middelbare school met de mededeling:
"Daar ga ik niet meer heen.
Nog nooit zo'n bevooroordeeld en infantiel zooitje bij elkaar gezien"
Behalve een besluit had hij opmerkelijk zinnige beschrijvingen en argumenten.



THE VATICAN CONNECTION
PEDOPHILIA & CELIBACY
March 18, 2010

In 1992 Chicago hosted the first national gathering in the United States of Catholic clergy abuse victims.[1] Three hundred men and women attended. My remarks included a statement to the effect ‘that the current revelations of abuse are the tip of an iceberg; and if the problem is traced to its foundations the path will lead to the highest halls of the Vatican.’

That time has come. Revelations of sexual abuse of minors that have been common and frequent in the United States especially since January 6, 2002 when the Boston Globe began a series of 1,200 documented reports of Catholic clergy abuse; similar reports are now pouring out of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland. Revelations will continue because sexual abuse of minors is part and parcel of the Roman Catholic clerical culture. I predict that when sexual activity of priests and bishops in Africa and South America become public those reports will overshadow all current records of clerical behavior. The Vatican already knows.

· The reason for my continued confidence in that statement is because the problem of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is systemic. Sexual activity occurs on every level of the clerical system. Sexual activity with minors is but one manifestation of the range of sexual behavior in the ranks of Catholic bishops and priests. A major reason for attention of this particular clerical behavior is because it is criminal. It has been recorded prominently since 1049.[2] Public concern and outrage in the U.S. has followed the revelation of its existence and the ongoing conspiracy of silence to keep abuse hidden and the collusion of superiors to keep it as secret as possible; all duly recorded in court and Grand Jury documents.

· At any one time no more than fifty percent (50%) of Catholic clergy bound by the requirement of perfect and perpetual celibacy are practicing it.[3]

· Between six percent (6%) and nine percent (9%) of priests active in U.S. dioceses and religious communities get involved sexually with minors. Those are figures from 1960 onward.

· [In 1983 11.5 percent of priests active in the Los Angeles, California Archdiocese were subsequently reported for abuse. Thirty percent of the ordination classes of 1966 and 1972 of the LA seminary are calculated to have abused minors.]

· [Twenty-three percent of priests active in the Tucson, Arizona in 1988 were named in diocesan files for sexual activity, mostly with minors.]

In 1993 Cardinal Jose Sanchez, then Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, was asked by a BBC correspondent what he thought of the reports that between 45 and 50 percent of Catholic priests were sexually active. His response on video, seen by 90 million viewers was: “I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of those figures.”[4]

· Religious superiors knew and have known about the sexual activity of clerics—even about sex with minors.

· It is absurd to pretend that the rule of celibacy is perfectly or even moderately well kept by priests and bishops. It is destructive to perpetuate that illusion. Priests, Monsignors, Abbots, Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals, and Popes know about sexual activity in their ranks—and some perpetrators are represented in that list.[5]

March 2010 The Pope Benedict’s handling of the crisis of abuse bursting out of Ireland, Germany, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands and Switzerland is being defended by Vatican sources despite his 2001 Vatican letter sent to all bishops advising them that all “cases of sexual abuse of minors must be forwarded” to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith his office; and all cases were to be subject to pontifical secret.

Required celibacy is intimately bound up with pedophilia within the ranks of the Catholic clergy despite Vatican denials.

· The Church continues to protest “that its celibacy requirement for priests was [not] the root cause of the clerical sex abuse scandal convulsing the church in Europe.”

· Not true. In combination with the other factors that comprise the clerical culture, required celibacy does predispose, promote retain, hide, and defend clergy who are sexually active in their ranks.

· Sexual deprivation can be instrumental in predisposing a person to sex with a minor. RC clergy often find adult sexual partners unavailable due to their deficient psychosexual development and the social constraints on intimate adult interaction. The availability of admiring and vulnerable youngsters to ill educated ministers with unconscious childhood strivings coupled with unsublimated sexual drives can lead to sexual contact of a priest with minors.

· A significant number of RC clergy are psychosexually immature. This has been studied and well documented.[6] The church prefers men and women on this level of development for church service because they are easier to control—they tend to be idealistic, dependent, obedient to authority, in need of causes and devoted to people they feel are strong; underdeveloped people are responsive to well defined boundaries that make them feel special (superior) and secure.[7]

· Men who say or think that they want to be completely free of any and all sexual activity are frequently troubled by their desires and instincts. Many are in denial about their basic drives and hope that the system will protect them from sin and perversion. Once within the clerical system—from seminary onward—they progressively discover that the system is full of sexual activity and opportunities for sexual expression. Frequently confessors and superiors indicate (and act on) their spiritual and physical attraction to their students or young priests. As a student in Rome we observed and talked about the system of preference for “beautiful” boys that was open and starkly visible among the monsignori who served as Vatican secretaries to various bishops and cardinals. “Afternoon tea” was the entrée to ever more intimate introductions and invitations. Parallel patterns are prevalent in seminaries, abbeys, and chancery offices all over the United States. Sexual activity, not celibacy, is the underground mood and energy of religious institutions.

· Secrecy is the key element that drives the clerical engine and preserves its power. Sacramental Confession is and has been used as a cover for crime for centuries.[8] Clerical sexual activity of all strips—including abuse of children—is considered sin and therefore first and foremost under the jurisdiction of clergy. All is forgivable.

· Mental Reservation can be used as a justification of what an ordinary person would label an outright lie; bishops consider the law of the Church to supercede civil laws and that the oath of obedience to the pope and the Church is superior to any mundane demand. Multiple depositions of cardinals and bishops demonstrate this maneuver—black on white court documents.[9]

Corruption proceeds from the top down and not from the bottom up as church media wants the public to believe. How it works:

· In 1992 an American prelate who had just returned from Rome sat in my office and said bluntly, “The organization to which I belong is rotten from the top down.” He also related a 45-minute visit he had with an American cardinal who was in a long-term intimate relationship with a woman. The cardinal spent 22 minutes (he timed it) bemoaning the fact of the large number of sexually active homosexual priests in his archdiocese. No one has described the clerical structure and current state of affairs better or more clearly than Fr. Brian D’Arcy: “A combination of bad theology, the dysfunctional abuse of power and a warped view of sexuality, have contributed to what the Murphy Report repeatedly refers to as “the systemic failure” to protect the most innocent and the most vulnerable children. I believe that the evil clerical culture which pervades our institution right up to the Vatican bureaucracy itself needs to be dismantled…Part of the human structure of the church is rotten to the core.”[10] [emphasis mine]

· He is not alone: On March 10, 2010 Rev. Gabriele Amorth who has served as the chief exorcist of the Vatican for 25 years, was quoted in an Italian news paper: “the Devil is at work inside the Vatican,” and that “when one speaks of ‘the smoke of Satan’ in the holy rooms, it is all true—including these latest stories of violence and pedophilia.” He said specifically that this includes cardinals.

Pedophilia in the system and how it works:

· Between six and nine percent of priests active in the United States get involved sexually with minors at least once.[11]

· Some Cardinals, bishops, abbots, seminary rectors are or have been sexually active. Some of that activity has been with their subordinates. Only a minor proportion of their sexual activity may be between them and children or minors. But some prelates in the highest ranks of church power do have sex with minors, mostly boys. Nonetheless the sexual histories of church officials are often known within the closely guarded circle of high-ranking clerics. Part of this knowledge is acquired and sealed over the years behind the seal of confession. Some of it is bound by the brotherhood of the Scarlet Bond that forbids scandal and the preservation of image at all costs. Superiors who are or have been sexually active are compelled to keep their activity secret and preserve their anonymity. For instance Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles knew about or lived with several priests who have been credibly accused, convicted, or imprisoned for abuse. The cover up of abuse by the American bishops is now well documented even is substantial Grand Jury Reports.[12] The dynamic of the cover up is outlined also in Ireland[13]. This dynamic is operative also in the Vatican.

· Sexual infractions by subordinates receive great mercy and latitude; even the abuse of minors and abortion by clerical partners receive easy forgiveness—again to avoid scandal and with the frequent excuse or justification that “everybody sins or father is only human.”

· Masturbation, that is officially pronounced a mortal sin is so prevalent within clerical circles that it is all but dismissed, however, it forms a cycle of guilt that binds clerics and confessors together wherein secret sexual transgressions become minimized and trivialized—even sex with minors becomes just another sin to be forgiven

· Psychosexually immature men are prone to select sexually immature partners.[14] A substantial proportion of priests (fall in love) or become sexually involved with children or minors under the guise and self-delusion that they are being kind.

· Priests are not educated about celibacy or sexuality. Superiors count on the clerical system including the religious house or seminary to inculcate sexual restraint or celibacy. It is an impossible situation since sexual activity exists in the underground on every level of the clerical culture.[15]

· The clerical system is homosocial—its structure and power system, including its theological construct of Father/Son/Holy Spirit is exclusively male. The only woman allowed in this theological hierarchy is a Virgin-Mother. This intellectual framework supports stunted development. The clerical system is significantly homosexual in orientation. This fact should neither be surprising nor derogatory. The structure and culture of the Roman Catholic Church makes room and positive use of the great reservoir of talent represented in the gay community. But just as gay priests can be exemplary pastors some, too, can remain underdeveloped. Because such a large proportion of the clerical community—bishops and priests—is homosexual a greater proportion of the sexual abusers of minors are gay and their victims, male.[16]

Clerical culture is a reality—priests are not like other men; they conform to a well-defined state of existence: that is appropriately defined as a culture—“A set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group… An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning.”

· Clerical cultural is an institution as defined above and is essentially homosocial and frequently homosexual.

· All clerics must conform to the same set of beliefs.

· Blind Obedience is imposed on members of the hierarchy creating a situation of stultified growth and the perpetuation of adolescent function. In the words of Fr. Yves Congar, O.P. “In the Catholic Church it has often seemed that the sin of the flesh was the only sin, and obedience the only virtue.” This describes an adolescent mentality. Bishops and cardinals conform. Truth and justice are sacrificed.

· Clerics are trained, develop and function in a culture of double standard—outward “perfection” and secret intrigue. This extends from the top to every level of clerical administration. Image first. Avoid scandal at all costs. Sexual activity is tolerated if secret.

· Clerical culture is an existence of status and privilege. It is a culture of entitlement.

· Clergy who get sexually involved with minors have demonstrated a clinical profile of narcissism, psychosocial isolation, and anger / hostility. Within the culture generally and with sex abusers specifically exists evidence of culture of altruism in the service of narcissism. That is that good is done with a predominance of self-gratification and self-aggrandizement.

· To be a member of the clerical culture is be surrounded if not infused with acquired situational narcissism. This state of ego centrism is necessary to advance in the clerical structure and a certain degree is required to live within it.

Vatican Ersatz Response to the 2010 Crisis of Clergy Abuse in Europe so far echoes if not copies the line of defense used by the American RCC that refined it between 1990 and the present:

“There is no real problem.” (1990-1)

“The media manufactured the sex abuse crisis.” (1992 Cardinal Law pronouncing God’s wrath on the Boston Globe for writing about the Fr. James Porter abuse of 200 children.) (March 2010 Vatican press blamed secular “media coverage of the sex scandals rocking the Catholic Church in Ireland, Germany and Austria for implying that there was a higher instance of sexual abuse in the Church than in other parts of society.”)

“There may be a little problem, but it is just a few bad apples.” (1993) (Vatican, March 2010 “For the love of truth, the number of incidents involving clergy is very small.”)

“The media is anti religious and anti-Catholic” (1994 USCCB Press Office) (March 2010 “The Vatican complained of a smear campaign against the pope.) On March 10, 2010 Irish bishop Kieran Conry, rejected accusations of media bias against the Catholic Church and said the problems of pedophile priests dominating headlines in the UK and across Europe were problems of the Church's own making. "The Roman Catholic Church sets itself up to be the great moral authority. When it does fail its own rigid standards, it deserves to be attacked and criticized.

“The problem in the Catholic Church is no bigger than in any other clergy group or religion.” (1996)

“In fact, the problem of abuse is greater among married men.” (1998 with the 119.6M judgment against Fr. Rudy Kos/Bishop Charles Grahmann/Dallas) (Vatican statement March 2010: "This has a negative effect on the Catholic Church...but it should be noted that abuse of children is more widespread in non-religious people and married couples than clergy,"

“There may be a small problem, but we are taking care of it.” (2000, Sr. Mary Ann Walsh spokesperson for the US bishops claming that 99/44 100th percent of priests keep their celibacy.)

“There is a problem-crisis.” (2002 after the Boston Globe’s release of documents on January 6 the bishops called a meeting in Dallas to deal with the problem.) (Pope calls the American Cardinals to Rome)

“The problem is history.” (2002 Pronouncement of bishop Wilton Gregory after the bishops Dallas zero-tolerance Accord in June.) (April 2008 Pope Benedict met with five Boston victims of clergy abuse. Press called it “unprecedented”.)

“We have been transparent.” (February 27, 2004 when the Report of the National Review Board and the Survey of the John-Jay College of Criminal Justice were made public. Both Reports placed the responsibility for the crisis on the bishops. Justice Anne Burke and Governor Frank Keating who chaired the National Review Board has said repeatedly that the bishops are not really looking for change, but want “business as usual.” All of the subsequent Grand Jury Reports say that the bishops cannot manage the problem of abusive clergy.)

The US bishops set up a Washington D.C. center—Office of Child and Youth Protection—having an office staff of four women: Goals: 1) assist dioceses to implement safe environment programs; 2) to develop audit for bishops’ compliance to 2002 Charter; 3) develop an annual report on each bishop’s compliance with provisions of Charter.

“We have done more than any other institution or church or even the Scouts to educate people about abuse.” Dr. Paul Mc Hugh. 2008. In effect the American bishops have created paper tigers and focused efforts on educating laity about the dangers of child abuse but neglecting solid education for priests about celibacy. (The clerical culture has not changed. It will continue to produce psychosexual immature and sexually abusive priests and bishops.

Pope Benedict XVI writes a letter March 20 2010.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Along with advocates Frs. Thomas Doyle, Andrew Greeley, author Jason Berry, attorney Jeffrey Anderson, and Jeanne Miller, the founder of the first advocacy group for victims and the mother of a son abused by her parish priest.
[2] Cf. Anderson on Peter Damian. This site.
[3] Cf. A Secret World, 1990; Sex, Priests and Power, 1995, etc.
[4] Sipe 1990 Report; and the 1992 Report of sociologist/priest Victor Kotze.
[5] Note the tolerant accommodation that Pope John Paul II accorded to former Benedictine abbot Cardinal Hans Herman Groer of Austria. In 1995, credible allegations surfaced that he had molested students at an all-male Catholic high school in the early 1970s. Also Marcial Marciel Degollado founder of the Legionnaires of Christ remained a guarded friend despite his abuse of young men in his institute and subsequently exposed as the father of children. Cf. Jason Berry and his extensive investigative reporting.
[6] Cf. Conrad Baars 1971; Kennedy & Heckler, 1972
[7] Although 42% of RC employed personnel are women, none have priesthood or essential positions of power.
[8] Cf. CRIMEN SOLLICITATIONIS Vatican document 1922 &1962. Also Doyle, Sipe, Wall. Sex, Priests & Secret Codes, 2008.
[9] Cf. Catholic Dictionary. Also: A lie is something intrinsically evil, however, traditional doctrine also says that people under an obligation to faithfully keep secrets, can fulfill their duty by saying what is false, ambiguous or to tell a lie.
[10] Fr. Brian D’Arcy C.P. 2/1/2010 New Catholic Times
[11] This is putting all the best available information together as of 03-17-10.
[12] Cf. Rockville Center, 2002; Massachusetts 2003; Philadelphia 2005; etc.
[13] Cf. The Ferns Report 2005; MURPHY REPORT 2009; Ryan Report, 2010.
[14] Sipe 6% 1990; Rodriguez 7% 1996; John Jay Report 6.5% P.30-7, 2004.
[15] Cf. I Millinari, Shroud of Silence. An account of sex in the Vatican by five staff members.
[16] Between 70 and 80% of minor victims of priests and bishops are male.

dinsdag, maart 23, 2010

Ga toch fietsen



UTRECHT (RKnieuws.net) - ’Het onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik in de Rooms Katholieke kerk onder leiding van Wim Deetman, is niet onafhankelijk’, zegt het Landelijk Advocatennetwerk Zedenslachtoffers.Volgens de advocaten kan de Staat worden aangeklaagd door slachtoffers die ten tijde van het misbruik onder toezicht van de kinderbescherming stonden en in een katholieke instelling verbleven. Richard Korver is één van de advocaten van dat Advocatennetwerk Zedenslachtoffers.

Ga toch fietsen


kwaliteitsfietsen:

Rondje tafel Duitsland

Rondje Ierland

hoogwaardige fietsenbouwer

Bisschop met plaat voor zijn gemijterde hoofd. Heer, vergeef het hem.








Mgr. De Korte
Kerkelijke waarheid en het geweten
Geplaatst door onze redactie op dinsdag 23 maart 2010 om 00:05u

GRONINGEN (RKnieuws.net) - Nu het stof wat is neergedaald en op dit front de rust enigszins is weergekeerd

Heer, vergeef het hem.

De post in Groningen gaat nog per postkoets.


maandag, maart 22, 2010

'Church should not have apologised for Australia child migrants' plight'

Sunday, 21st March 2010
Times of Malta
Ariadne Massa

Malta's former emigration minister does not believe the Archbishop had cause to apologise for the abusive treatment child migrants received at the hands of the Christian Brothers in Australia more than 50 years ago.
Alexander Cachia Zammit, a Nationalist minister between 1962 and 1971, said although he admired Mgr Paul Cremona's decision to apologise and did not wish to interfere, he did not believe the Maltese Church was to blame.
"The child migrant scheme was organised by the Australian government and the apology should have come from the Australian Church (which it did), because we have nothing to do with the Christian Brothers," the 85-year-old told The Sunday Times.
He believes the government is the least one to blame in all this, but added: "Everyone's apologising these days."
Dr Cachia Zammit said: "I don't want to point fingers, but if the Christian Brothers are to blame then so be it. Whoever apologised did so because they felt it, but we (Malta) have nothing to do with it."
Australia's Roman Catholic Church and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last year publicly apologised to British and Maltese child migrants who suffered abuse including rape, whippings and slave labour in religious institutions.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mgr Cremona followed suit and last week, ahead of the convention for the Maltese who live abroad, apologised to the 310 child migrants for the suffering endured after they were shipped to Australia in the 1950s and 1960s.
The children were sent to Australia through the efforts of Maltese political and ecclesiastical authorities, with the consent of parents or guardians. However, it later emerged they were forced to work in institutions and many were not given the education they were promised. A number of them, including British and Irish children, suffered physical and sexual abuse.
Their plight was finally recognised in 1999 when child migrants took their case to court and the Australian Senate found the Christian Brothers guilty of failing in their duty of care.
Dr Cachia Zammit said, however, that decisions taken at the time were well-intentioned.
"There were children living in orphanages or in big families, barely subsisting, and this scheme was intended to give them an education and a better future in Australia - we never doubted it would do well at the time," he said.

Recalling his three-week trip to Australia in 1963 at the invitation of the government, he described how he had visited two institutions run by the Christian Brothers in Bindoon and Tardun.

There he met three boys he had encouraged to migrate when he was still a doctor working in Żejtun. He described how the three had tilled huge tracts of land they were given by the Australian government, and tended to sheep.
"They were over the moon and I believe they still are to this day. None of the children there had approached me to speak out. Neither had we received any complaints, otherwise we would have taken steps immediately," he said.

Dr Cachia Zammit recalled that the only thing he knew at the time was that the Christian Brothers director could not meet him as planned because of some police investigations.

"On my return to Malta, the Australian government informed us about its suspicions and we immediately took steps. It was agreed we should stop sending children - we wanted to protect them," he said.
While condemning the cause behind the victims' suffering, he questioned why it took some so long to speak out about the abuse they endured, and asked if a few could have possibly intended to "obscure the Church" with their allegations.
"True, these people suffered, but I feel some tried too hard to bash the Church - and in life there are limits," he said.

(report of Paul Calleja )

Church apologises to child migrants, 100 delegates from five continents taking part in six-day conference

Monday, 15th March 2010
Times of Malta

The Maltese Catholic Church yesterday formally apologised to child migrants who had been abused when they were sent to Australia 50 years ago.
"I would like to express all my repentance for all the suffering the children underwent when they were sent to another country; the intentions might have been good but not implemented," Archbishop Paul Cremona said.
Speaking at the opening of a convention of Maltese who lived abroad, the Archbishop echoed an apology made last week in Parliament by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and endorsed by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat.
Over 300 Maltese children were sent Down Under within a scheme launched by the Australian government. The Child Migrants Programme, which ended 40 years ago, shipped an estimated 150,000 destitute children to a "better life" in Commonwealth countries such as Australia and Canada but many ended up in institutions or as farm labourers.
The scheme, which ran to the 1960s, had left many people emotionally scarred. It was aimed at securing the children a better education and a brighter future.
But, unfortunately, not all went as planned and some of the children were exploited for cheap labour and a number of them suffered physical and sexual abuse.
Mgr Cremona said one should open one's hearts to those who escaped to Malta from their countries and were also suffering. "Using the love we have for our homeland, we should help those who need help."
Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg announced at the conference that the government was looking into setting up a Maltese institute to promote culture, language and traditions abroad.
"There is no doubt that Malta must promote everything that is Maltese: the teaching of the Maltese language, folklore, traditions, our way of life, our cultural heritage," he said. Malta had to emulate what other countries did and set up an institute that would promote Maltese culture abroad, he added. This would be done through cooperation between the tourism, culture, education and foreign affairs ministries so as to ensure an efficient use of human and financial resources.
The convention was also addressed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat.
"I wanted to come and visit Malta again. It will always be my home," a Maltese woman living in Australia said. She was among the Maltese emigrants attending the opening of the convention.
Others, who were second-generation Maltese, took the opportunity to come over to visit their parents' homeland. "I always heard so much about Malta and now I will see all the places my parents told me about," a young Maltese Australian said.
First held in 1968, the conference was held again 32 years later in 2000.
Over 100 delegates from five continents will take part in the six-day conference, which ends on Saturday.

Child migrants in Australia Apology now expected from Church

Friday, 12th March 2010
Times of Malta
Claudia Calleja and Kurt Bugeja Coster

Maltese child migrants have welcomed the government's formal apology for the abuse they suffered after they were shipped to Australia over 50 year ago but are now hoping the Church will follow suit.
"At long last. I'm so happy the government recognised and understood what we've been through. It brings us closer to closure," said former child migrant Joseph Azzopardi, speaking from his home in Australia.
"One thing that worries me is that the Church of Malta has really washed its hands of it. It should now come forward and recognised its involvement. Some form of apology has to come across."
Now 63, Mr Azzopardi was 12 years old when a parish priest approached his mother in Malta and suggested she send him to be schooled by the Christian Brothers in Australia.
He ended up being one of 301 local youngsters sent to Australia through a scheme organised by Maltese political and ecclesiastical authorities in the 1950s and 1960s. It was aimed at securing the children a better education and brighter future.
But, on arrival there, many were exploited for cheap labour and a number of them also suffered physical and sexual abuse. Children from the UK and Ireland suffered the same fate.
Two years ago a memorial to Maltese child migrants was unveiled at Valletta Waterfront, from where the children had originally left.
During Wednesday's Parliamentary sitting, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was time for the country to apologise for the suffering endured by the children. He made the statement, which was endorsed by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat, before the opening on Sunday of a convention of Maltese who live abroad.
"As a mature society, we recognise that despite good intentions, there were many of these child migrants who underwent hardship. The government feels this is an appropriate moment for Parliament to apologise for the hardship which these Maltese brethren endured," Dr Gonzi said.
The apology followed that of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last month and that of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who apologised in November.
While simple words might not solve the troubled past of the child migrants, Mr Azzopardi said these apologies meant that the governments recog-nised that the abuse had happened.
When the children had tried speaking up they were ignored by the police and authorities who thought of them as "naughty boys" lying against the respected Christian Brothers, Mr Azzopardi said.
Their plight was finally recognised in 1999 when child migrants took their case to court and the Australian Senate found the Christian Brothers guilty of failing in their duty of care.
"I know that Malta had no way of knowing what was going to happen, but at the same time, it would have still been their responsibility - because of our age - to keep an eye on us while we were here," Mr Azzopardi said adding Malta should offer some form of compensation to the victims.
Turning to the Church in Malta, he insisted it should admit to its responsibilities.
"Unless the Church is willing to recognise that it participated in this scheme, they're gonna live a lie," he said.
Paul Calleja, a founding member of the Child Migrants of Malta Association, in Australia, shared his views.
"Many child migrants would agree that the Church should apologise... It was the Church in Malta that enticed children to join the Christian Brothers so it played a big role in all this," he said.
Without taking a stand on the matter, Monsignor Philip Calleja, head of the Emigrants' Commission, said he could only condemn any wrongdoing, if any.
When asked what he meant, he said he did not have any evidence of the abuse and pointed out that some of the children, most of whom were orphans, had grown up to be successful.
Moreover, he said, they were shipped there with the best of intentions, after which some of their parents decided to join them.
The Curia was yesterday contacted and asked if it planned to make an apology. The spokesman did not reply by the time of writing.
When asked the same question two years ago, a Curia spokesman had said: "We obviously regret and condemn any abuses that might have happened abroad to any of these children. But we know that the members of the Church in Malta who helped in this project worked not only in good faith but also in the interest of the children concerned, as was understood at that time."

zondag, maart 21, 2010

Transparantie Stichting Leerhuis en Liturgie; sinal do MFA




24 de Abril de 1974 às 22:55 Os Emissores Associados de Lisboa transmitem a canção "E Depois do Adeus", de Paulo de Carvalho, primeiro sinal do MFA, confirmando que tudo corria bem.



Aqui posto de comando do Movimento das Forças Armadas


klik
The lay faithful, too, should be encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church. See that they are formed in such a way that they can offer an articulate and convincing account of the Gospel in the midst of modern society (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) and cooperate more fully in the Church’s life and mission. This in turn will help you once again become credible leaders and witnesses to the redeeming truth of Christ.

BXVI 19-3-2010 , 11


Te doen gerechtigheid
hebt Gij ons aangezegd.
Dat woord heeft ons bevrijd,
elk ander heeft ons geknecht.
Geef dat ons niets weerhoudt
die lange weg te gaan.
Dat elk zich nu verstout
uw richting in te slaan.


Wier dagen Gij bezocht,
wier harten Gij doorgrondt,
voor wie Gij hebt gewrocht
de aarde en de zon;
wier toekomst is in U,
Gij maakt hun leven
waar -mocht Gij hen hier en nu
bekeren tot elkaar.

Dat niemand hen kleineert
die Gij wilt maken groot,
voor wie Gij hebt geslaakt
de boeien van de dood.
Opdat wij zouden staan
vrij voor uw aangezicht,
getekend met uw naam -
en leven in uw licht.
Huub Oosterhuis


Rouvoet: onderzoek rol Kinderbescherming

ANP op 20 maart '10, 21:18, bijgewerkt 21 maart '10, 10:40

DEN HAAG - Demissionair minister André Rouvoet (Jeugd en Gezin) wil dat de commissie-Deetman ook onderzoek doet naar de rol van de Kinderbescherming bij het seksueel misbruik in rooms-katholieke instellingen.

Dat liet hij zaterdag weten naar aanleiding van een uitzending van RTL Nieuws, dat elf meldingen zegt te hebben ontvangen van slachtoffers die in de jaren zestig door de Raad voor de Kinderbescherming in internaten werden geplaatst.

Rouvoet verwacht dat oud-minister Wim Deetman, die het seksueel misbruik in de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk onderzoekt, alle feiten boven tafel zal krijgen. Voor aanvullend onderzoek ziet de minister nu geen aanleiding. Wel zal hij Deetman vragen of hij in staat en bereid is ook te kijken naar slachtoffers die destijds onder het gezag van de Kinderbescherming stonden.

Wrang

Rouvoet noemt het ‘heel verdrietig’ dat zich nu slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik melden die juist door de Kinderbescherming in rooms-katholieke instellingen waren geplaatst. ‘Elk geval van misbruik is verschrikkelijk. Maar het is extra wrang als juist kinderen die extra bescherming en veiligheid nodig hebben er het slachtoffer van worden’, stelde hij. Rouvoet benadrukt dat zijn ministerie en de Raad voor de Kinderbescherming alle medewerking aan het onderzoek zullen verlenen.

Gebed tot Microsoft en compaenen

Geef ons goede vertaalmachines.

In de brief van de Paus staat een heel belangrijke zin.
Een verschrikkelijke zin. Zowel in haar erkenning van realiteit als in het even doordenken van wat betekent.

I know some of you find it difficult even to enter the doors of a church after all that has occurred.

Vooruitlopend op ingrijpen door Highest Powers tbv goede vertaalmachines zou het voor slachtoffers toch wel aardig zijn wanneer die kerkelijke, religieuse en spirituele hotemetoten in Nederland eens zorgden voor een correcte vertaling van wat de paus eigenlijk schreef.

Het zou bovendien blijk geven dat zij dankzij een pauselijke inburgeringscursus ( zie o.a. BXVI 19-3-2010; 9 , 10, 13) tenminste enige kennis van de (maatschappelijke) realiteit en uitkomsten van onderzoek elders zowel als respect tov (vroegere) slachtoffers en kinderbescherming hebben. Niet iedereen zat ten slotte op een kostschool.
Wellicht kan de Heer Deetman op grond van eerder opgedane kennis ze dit nu vast influisteren?

By offering prayers and penances for those you have wronged, you should seek to atone personally for your actions. Christ’s redeeming sacrifice has the power to forgive even the gravest of sins, and to bring forth good from even the most terrible evil. At the same time, God’s justice summons us to give an account of our actions and to conceal nothing. Openly acknowledge your guilt, submit yourselves to the demands of justice, but do not despair of God’s mercy. (BXVI 19-3-2010; 7 )

Volgens mij heb ik inmiddels al zo'n versie of 10 gezien en gehoord van wat Benedictus dan wel zou hebben gezegd - naast een aantal andere zaken overigens wél degene aan wie zij hun dagelijks brood met pindakaas danken, maar ik kan toch echt maar 1 versie ontdekken.

Ik heb een hoop flauwe kul - en vele malen erger dan dat - gelezen over dat misbruik en geweld in de kerk maar de gotspe om nu, temidden van alle overal losbarstende ellende, deze historische brief van niet Jan Doedel Himself zou wat mij betreft wel 's één van de antwoorden kunnen zijn op de vraag hoe is het in godsnaam mogelijk geweest en nu.

En dat is dan een knap pijnlijke ontdekking voor de Heer Deetman, voormalig minister van onderwijs.
Want dit heeft helemaal niets te maken met vrijheid van mening.
Dit is een aantasting van geloofsvrijheid!
Door opgeblazen katholieken.
Die kunnen we dus maar beter opblazen!

Misschien dat bisschop Eijk in het kader van zijn verantwoordelijkheid en het benodigde rampenplan van de Nederlandse kerkprovincie toch maar eens met een vrijwilligster zou moeten gaan praten om haar hulp in te roepen.
Dat zou zelfs financieel wel eens heel verstandig kunnen zijn. Dank U beleefd, mede namens de nederlandse belasting betaler! (rekeningnummer Defence Children International, ook vanuit Tilburg! is: 4870000 )

Dank je Diarmuid Martin. Ik was, weer eens, diep onder de indruk van je nuchterheid nu over bisschoppelijke wijsneuzerigheid en tijdbommen!

zaterdag, maart 20, 2010

Het ontbrekende: Go raibh maith agaibh

Uit naam van mijn ouders,
mijn grootmoeder
mijzelf
mijn kinderen
en ....

Thank you so much
aan ieder die dit mogelijk maakte.

Vooral aan diegene die als kind slachtoffer werden van het geweld en misbruik binnen de rooms katholieke kerk en als volwassenen de moed hadden op welke wijze dan ook nee te zeggen tegen die minachting en onverschilligheid, dat vol te houden en iedere keer weer die moed te willen kunnen zoeken die daarvoor nodig is.
Zoveel jaren van je leven en diegene die heel direct bij je horen die niet alleen óók deze historische stap weer mogelijk maakte.

Dank voor je woede, dank voor je waardigheid, dank voor je willen, dank voor je moed waarmee levens in Ierland gespaard werden en kunnen worden en andere keuzes gemaakt of afgedwongen kunnen worden in Levens noodzakelijk respect.
Maar niet alleen in Ierland!

Dank voor je geloven, dank je voor het elkaar zoeken en vinden. Dank je voor je hoop.

Dank je voor mijn tranen van vandaag, ze zijn mij dierbaar.
Mijn vader had een lijfspreuk: Wees een koning, op je eigen vierkante meter,
mijn grootmoeder was dan ook blij met de haren.


Brief Benedictus

toegevoegd 28-3: Nederlandse vertaling

1. DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE CHURCH IN IRELAND, it is with great concern that I write to you as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.
As you know, I recently invited the Irish bishops to a meeting here in Rome to give an account of their handling of these matters in the past and to outline the steps they have taken to respond to this grave situation. Together with senior officials of the Roman Curia, I listened to what they had to say, both individually and as a group, as they offered an analysis of mistakes made and lessons learned, and a description of the programmes and protocols now in place. Our discussions were frank and constructive. I am confident that, as a result, the bishops will now be in a stronger position to carry forward the work of repairing past injustices and confronting the broader issues associated with the abuse of minors in a way consonant with the demands of justice and the teachings of the Gospel.
2. For my part, considering the gravity of these offences, and the often inadequate response to them on the part of the ecclesiastical authorities in your country, I have decided to write this Pastoral Letter to express my closeness to you and to propose a path of healing, renewal and reparation.
It is true, as many in your country have pointed out, that the problem of child abuse is peculiar neither to Ireland nor to the Church. Nevertheless, the task you now face is to address the problem of abuse that has occurred within the Irish Catholic community, and to do so with courage and determination. No one imagines that this painful situation will be resolved swiftly. Real progress has been made, yet much more remains to be done. Perseverance and prayer are needed, with great trust in the healing power of God’s grace.
At the same time, I must also express my conviction that, in order to recover from this grievous wound, the Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before others the serious sins committed against defenceless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children from similar crimes in the future. As you take up the challenges of this hour, I ask you to remember “the rock from which you were hewn” (Is 51:1). Reflect upon the generous, often heroic, contributions made by past generations of Irish men and women to the Church and to humanity as a whole, and let this provide the impetus for honest self-examination and a committed programme of ecclesial and individual renewal. It is my prayer that, assisted by the intercession of her many saints and purified through penance, the Church in Ireland will overcome the present crisis and become once more a convincing witness to the truth and the goodness of Almighty God, made manifest in his Son Jesus Christ.
3. Historically, the Catholics of Ireland have proved an enormous force for good at home and abroad. Celtic monks like Saint Columbanus spread the Gospel in Western Europe and laid the foundations of medieval monastic culture. The ideals of holiness, charity and transcendent wisdom born of the Christian faith found expression in the building of churches and monasteries and the establishment of schools, libraries and hospitals, all of which helped to consolidate the spiritual identity of Europe. Those Irish missionaries drew their strength and inspiration from the firm faith, strong leadership and upright morals of the Church in their native land.
From the sixteenth century on, Catholics in Ireland endured a long period of persecution, during which they struggled to keep the flame of faith alive in dangerous and difficult circumstances. Saint Oliver Plunkett, the martyred Archbishop of Armagh, is the most famous example of a host of courageous sons and daughters of Ireland who were willing to lay down their lives out of fidelity to the Gospel. After Catholic Emancipation, the Church was free to grow once more. Families and countless individuals who had preserved the faith in times of trial became the catalyst for the great resurgence of Irish Catholicism in the nineteenth century. The Church provided education, especially for the poor, and this was to make a major contribution to Irish society. Among the fruits of the new Catholic schools was a rise in vocations: generations of missionary priests, sisters and brothers left their homeland to serve in every continent, especially in the English-speaking world. They were remarkable not only for their great numbers, but for the strength of their faith and the steadfastness of their pastoral commitment. Many dioceses, especially in Africa, America and Australia, benefited from the presence of Irish clergy and religious who preached the Gospel and established parishes, schools and universities, clinics and hospitals that served both Catholics and the community at large, with particular attention to the needs of the poor.
In almost every family in Ireland, there has been someone – a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle – who has given his or her life to the Church. Irish families rightly esteem and cherish their loved ones who have dedicated their lives to Christ, sharing the gift of faith with others, and putting that faith into action in loving service of God and neighbour.
4. In recent decades, however, the Church in your country has had to confront new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularization of Irish society. Fast-paced social change has occurred, often adversely affecting people’s traditional adherence to Catholic teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such as frequent confession, daily prayer and annual retreats, were neglected. Significant too was the tendency during this period, also on the part of priests and religious, to adopt ways of thinking and assessing secular realities without sufficient reference to the Gospel. The programme of renewal proposed by the Second Vatican Council was sometimes misinterpreted and indeed, in the light of the profound social changes that were taking place, it was far from easy to know how best to implement it. In particular, there was a well-intentioned but misguided tendency to avoid penal approaches to canonically irregular situations. It is in this overall context that we must try to understand the disturbing problem of child sexual abuse, which has contributed in no small measure to the weakening of faith and the loss of respect for the Church and her teachings.
Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the present crisis can a clear-sighted diagnosis of its causes be undertaken and effective remedies be found. Certainly, among the contributing factors we can include: inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient human, moral, intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in society to favour the clergy and other authority figures; and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of every person. Urgent action is needed to address these factors, which have had such tragic consequences in the lives of victims and their families, and have obscured the light of the Gospel to a degree that not even centuries of persecution succeeded in doing.
5. On several occasions since my election to the See of Peter, I have met with victims of sexual abuse, as indeed I am ready to do in the future. I have sat with them, I have listened to their stories, I have acknowledged their suffering, and I have prayed with them and for them. Earlier in my pontificate, in my concern to address this matter, I asked the bishops of Ireland, “to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes” (Address to the Bishops of Ireland, 28 October 2006).
With this Letter, I wish to exhort all of you , as God’s people in Ireland, to reflect on the wounds inflicted on Christ’s body, the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them, and the need for unity, charity and mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and ecclesial renewal. I now turn to you with words that come from my heart, and I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

(28-3 vervangen door de Nl tekst, mogelijk gemaakt door rk documenten.nlTot de slachtoffers van misbruik en hun families
6 U hebt verschrikkelijk geleden en dat spijt mij werkelijk. Ik weet dat niets het kwaad ongedaan kan maken dat u hebt geleden. Uw vertrouwen is beschaamd en uw waardigheid geschonden. Velen van u hebben ervaren dat, toen u voldoende moed had om te spreken over wat u was overkomen, niemand naar u luisterde.

Degenen onder u die het slachtoffer van misbruik zijn geweest in internaten, moeten hebben gevoeld dat er geen manier was om aan het lijden te ontkomen.

Het is begrijpelijk dat u het moeilijk vindt te vergeven of met de Kerk te worden verzoend. Namens haar breng ik openlijk de schaamte en de spijt tot uitdrukking die wij allen voelen. Tegelijkertijd vraag ik u om de hoop niet te verliezen.

In de gemeenschap van de Kerk ontmoeten wij Jezus Christus, Hijzelf was slachtoffer van onrecht en zonde. Evenals u draagt Hij nog steeds de wonden van zijn onrechtvaardig lijden. Hij begrijpt de diepte van uw smart en de voortdurende uitwerking ervan op uw leven en relaties met anderen, uw relatie met de Kerk inbegrepen.

Ik weet dat enkelen van u het moeilijk vinden zelfs een kerk binnen te gaan na wat er is gebeurd.

Echter, dezelfde wonden van Christus, die zijn veranderd door zijn heilzaam lijden, zijn de instrumenten waardoor de macht van het kwaad is gebroken en wij worden herboren tot het leven en de hoop. Ik geloof – ook in de donkerste en meest hopeloze omstandigheden - vast in de helende kracht van zijn opofferende liefde, die bevrijding en de belofte van een nieuw begin brengt.
Nu ik mij tot u wend als herder, die bezorgd is om het welzijn van alle kinderen van God, vraag ik u nederig na te denken over wat ik u heb gezegd. Ik bid dat u, wanneer u nadert tot Christus en aan het leven van zijn Kerk deelneemt - een Kerk, gezuiverd door boetedoening en vernieuwd in de herderlijke liefde - ertoe kunt komen de eindeloze liefde van Christus voor ieder van u opnieuw te ontdekken.
Ik vertrouw erop dat u op deze wijze in staat zult zijn verzoening, diepe innerlijke genezing en vrede te vinden.


Tot de priesters en religieuzen die kinderen hebben misbruikt
7 U hebt het vertrouwen dat in u werd gesteld door onschuldige jongeren en hun ouders, geschonden. U moet hiervoor verantwoording afleggen voor de almachtige God, evenals voor de daartoe bevoegde rechtbanken.

U hebt de achting van het volk van Ierland verloren en smaad en schande gebracht over uw medebroeders.

Wie onder u priester is, heeft de heiligheid van het heilige Wijdingssacrament, waarin Christus zich in ons en onze handelingen tegenwoordig stelt geschonden. Samen met de enorme schade die de slachtoffers is toegebracht, is er grote schade berokkend aan de Kerk en het publieke beeld van het priesterschap en het religieuze leven.

Ik spoor u aan uw geweten te onderzoeken, uw verantwoordelijkheid voor de zonden die u hebt bedreven op u te nemen en nederig uw spijt te betuigen. Oprechte spijt opent de deur naar Gods vergeving en de genade van ware beterschap. Door te bidden en boete te doen voor hen die u hebt gekrenkt, moet u trachten uw handelingen weer goed te maken. Het heilzame offer van Christus heeft de kracht zelfs de zwaarste zonde te vergeven en ook uit het verschrikkelijkste het goede voort te brengen. Tegelijkertijd eist Gods gerechtigheid dat wij verantwoording van onze daden afleggen zonder iets te verbergen. Erkent openlijk uw schuld, onderwerpt u aan de eisen van de gerechtigheid, maar wanhoopt niet aan de barmhartigheid van God.

Tot de ouders8 U bent ten diepste geschokt toen u de verschrikkelijke dingen moest vernemen die plaatsvonden in een omgeving die de veiligste van allemaal had moeten zijn.

In de wereld van vandaag is het niet gemakkelijk een thuis te stichten en kinderen op te voeden. Zij verdienen het bemind en gewenst op te groeien in een veilige omgeving, met een sterk gevoel voor hun identiteit en hun waarde. Zij hebben er recht op om te worden opgevoed in authentieke, morele waarden, die geworteld zijn in de waardigheid van de menselijke persoon, om te worden geïnspireerd door ons katholiek geloof en manieren van gedrag en houding te leren die hen brengen tot een gezond zelfrespect en een duurzaam geluk.

Deze edele en veeleisende taak wordt op de eerste plaats aan u, hun ouders, toevertrouwd.

Ik spoor u aan uw aandeel hierin op u te nemen om de best mogelijke zorg voor de kinderen te garanderen, zowel in huis als in de maatschappij in het algemeen. De Kerk zal van haar kant de maatregelen die de laatste jaren zijn genomen om de jongeren te beschermen in de omgeving van parochie en school, in praktijk brengen. Weest u ervan verzekerd dat ik, terwijl u uw belangrijke verantwoordelijkheid neemt, u nabij ben en u de steun van mijn gebed bied.


9. To the children and young people of Ireland I wish to offer you a particular word of encouragement. Your experience of the Church is very different from that of your parents and grandparents. The world has changed greatly since they were your age.

Yet all people, in every generation, are called to travel the same path through life, whatever their circumstances may be.

We are all scandalized by the sins and failures of some of the Church's members, particularly those who were chosen especially to guide and serve young people.

But it is in the Church that you will find Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and for ever (cf. Heb 13:8). He loves you and he has offered himself on the cross for you. Seek a personal relationship with him within the communion of his Church, for he will never betray your trust! He alone can satisfy your deepest longings and give your lives their fullest meaning by directing them to the service of others. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and his goodness, and shelter the flame of faith in your heart. Together with your fellow Catholics in Ireland, I look to you to be faithful disciples of our Lord and to bring your much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding and renewal of our beloved Church.

10. To the priests and religious of Ireland All of us are suffering as a result of the sins of our confreres who betrayed a sacred trust or failed to deal justly and responsibly with allegations of abuse.
In view of the outrage and indignation which this has provoked, not only among the lay faithful but among yourselves and your religious communities, many of you feel personally discouraged, even abandoned.
I am also aware that in some people’s eyes you are tainted by association, and viewed as if you were somehow responsible for the misdeeds of others.

At this painful time, I want to acknowledge the dedication of your priestly and religious lives and apostolates, and I invite you to reaffirm your faith in Christ, your love of his Church and your confidence in the Gospel's promise of redemption, forgiveness and interior renewal.
In this way, you will demonstrate for all to see that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (cf. Rom 5:20).

I know that many of you are disappointed, bewildered and angered by the way these matters have been handled by some of your superiors.
Yet, it is essential that you cooperate closely with those in authority and help to ensure that the measures adopted to respond to the crisis will be truly evangelical, just and effective.

Above all, I urge you to become ever more clearly men and women of prayer, courageously following the path of conversion, purification and reconciliation. In this way, the Church in Ireland will draw new life and vitality from your witness to the Lord's redeeming power made visible in your lives.

11. To my brother bishops It cannot be denied that some of you and your predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse. Serious mistakes were made in responding to allegations.

I recognize how difficult it was to grasp the extent and complexity of the problem, to obtain reliable information and to make the right decisions in the light of conflicting expert advice. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that grave errors of judgement were made and failures of leadership occurred.
All this has seriously undermined your credibility and effectiveness.
I appreciate the efforts you have made to remedy past mistakes and to guarantee that they do not happen again.

Besides fully implementing the norms of canon law in addressing cases of child abuse, continue to cooperate with the civil authorities in their area of competence.

Clearly, religious superiors should do likewise. They too have taken part in recent discussions here in Rome with a view to establishing a clear and consistent approach to these matters. It is imperative that the child safety norms of the Church in Ireland be continually revised and updated and that they be applied fully and impartially in conformity with canon law.

Only decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore the respect and good will of the Irish people towards the Church to which we have consecrated our lives. This must arise, first and foremost, from your own self-examination, inner purification and spiritual renewal.

The Irish people rightly expect you to be men of God, to be holy, to live simply, to pursue personal conversion daily. For them, in the words of Saint Augustine, you are a bishop; yet with them you are called to be a follower of Christ (cf. Sermon 340, 1).

I therefore exhort you to renew your sense of accountability before God, to grow in solidarity with your people and to deepen your pastoral concern for all the members of your flock. In particular, I ask you to be attentive to the spiritual and moral lives of each one of your priests. Set them an example by your own lives, be close to them, listen to their concerns, offer them encouragement at this difficult time and stir up the flame of their love for Christ and their commitment to the service of their brothers and sisters.

The lay faithful, too, should be encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church. See that they are formed in such a way that they can offer an articulate and convincing account of the Gospel in the midst of modern society (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) and cooperate more fully in the Church’s life and mission. This in turn will help you once again become credible leaders and witnesses to the redeeming truth of Christ.

12. To all the faithful of Ireland A young person’s experience of the Church should always bear fruit in a personal and life-giving encounter with Jesus Christ within a loving, nourishing community. In this environment, young people should be encouraged to grow to their full human and spiritual stature, to aspire to high ideals of holiness, charity and truth, and to draw inspiration from the riches of a great religious and cultural tradition.

In our increasingly secularized society, where even we Christians often find it difficult to speak of the transcendent dimension of our existence, we need to find new ways to pass on to young people the beauty and richness of friendship with Jesus Christ in the communion of his Church. In confronting the present crisis, measures to deal justly with individual crimes are essential, yet on their own they are not enough: a new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations to treasure the gift of our common faith. By treading the path marked out by the Gospel, by observing the commandments and by conforming your lives ever more closely to the figure of Jesus Christ, you will surely experience the profound renewal that is so urgently needed at this time. I invite you all to persevere along this path.

13. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is out of deep concern for all of you at this painful time in which the fragility of the human condition has been so starkly revealed that I have wished to offer these words of encouragement and support. I hope that you will receive them as a sign of my spiritual closeness and my confidence in your ability to respond to the challenges of the present hour by drawing renewed inspiration and strength from Ireland’s noble traditions of fidelity to the Gospel, perseverance in the faith and steadfastness in the pursuit of holiness. In solidarity with all of you, I am praying earnestly that, by God’s grace, the wounds afflicting so many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in Ireland may experience a season of rebirth and spiritual renewal.

14. I now wish to propose to you some concrete initiatives to address the situation.
At the conclusion of my meeting with the Irish bishops, I asked that Lent this year be set aside as a time to pray for an outpouring of God’s mercy and the Holy Spirit’s gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country. I now invite all of you to devote your Friday penances, for a period of one year, between now and Easter 2011, to this intention. I ask you to offer up your fasting, your prayer, your reading of Scripture and your works of mercy in order to obtain the grace of healing and renewal for the Church in Ireland. I encourage you to discover anew the sacrament of Reconciliation and to avail yourselves more frequently of the transforming power of its grace. Particular attention should also be given to Eucharistic adoration, and in every diocese there should be churches or chapels specifically devoted to this purpose. I ask parishes, seminaries, religious houses and monasteries to organize periods of Eucharistic adoration, so that all have an opportunity to take part. Through intense prayer before the real presence of the Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that have done so much harm, at the same time imploring the grace of renewed strength and a deeper sense of mission on the part of all bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful.
I am confident that this programme will lead to a rebirth of the Church in Ireland in the fullness of God’s own truth, for it is the truth that sets us free (cf. Jn 8:32).
Furthermore, having consulted and prayed about the matter, I intend to hold an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in Ireland, as well as seminaries and religious congregations. Arrangements for the Visitation, which is intended to assist the local Church on her path of renewal, will be made in cooperation with the competent offices of the Roman Curia and the Irish Episcopal Conference. The details will be announced in due course.
I also propose that a nationwide Mission be held for all bishops, priests and religious. It is my hope that, by drawing on the expertise of experienced preachers and retreat-givers from Ireland and from elsewhere, and by exploring anew the conciliar documents, the liturgical rites of ordination and profession, and recent pontifical teaching, you will come to a more profound appreciation of your respective vocations, so as to rediscover the roots of your faith in Jesus Christ and to drink deeply from the springs of living water that he offers you through his Church. In this Year for Priests, I commend to you most particularly the figure of Saint John Mary Vianney, who had such a rich understanding of the mystery of the priesthood. “The priest”, he wrote, “holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of his goods.” The Curé d’Ars understood well how greatly blessed a community is when served by a good and holy priest:
“A good shepherd, a pastor after God’s heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy.” Through the intercession of Saint John Mary Vianney, may the priesthood in Ireland be revitalized, and may the whole Church in Ireland grow in appreciation for the great gift of the priestly ministry. I take this opportunity to thank in anticipation all those who will be involved in the work of organizing the Apostolic Visitation and the Mission, as well as the many men and women throughout Ireland already working for the safety of children in church environments. Since the time when the gravity and extent of the problem of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions first began to be fully grasped, the Church has done an immense amount of work in many parts of the world in order to address and remedy it.

While no effort should be spared in improving and updating existing procedures, I am encouraged by the fact that the current safeguarding practices adopted by local Churches are being seen, in some parts of the world, as a model for other institutions to follow.

I wish to conclude this Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland , which I send to you with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a fellow Christian, scandalized and hurt by what has occurred in our beloved Church. As you make use of this prayer in your families, parishes and communities, may the Blessed Virgin Mary protect and guide each of you to a closer union with her Son, crucified and risen. With great affection and unswerving confidence in God’s promises, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in the Lord.

From the Vatican, March 19th, 2010, on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH IN IRELAND
God of our fathers,
renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation,
the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal,
the charity which purifies and opens our hearts
to love you, and in you, each of our brothers and sisters.
Lord Jesus Christ,
may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitment
to the education of our young people in the way of truth and goodness,
holiness and generous service to society.
Holy Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide,
inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zeal
for the Church in Ireland.
May our sorrow and our tears,
our sincere effort to redress past wrongs,
and our firm purpose of amendment
bear an abundant harvest of grace
for the deepening of the faith
in our families, parishes, schools and communities,
for the spiritual progress of Irish society,
and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peace
within the whole human family.
To you, Triune God,
confident in the loving protection of Mary,
Queen of Ireland, our Mother,
and of Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid and all the saints,
do we entrust ourselves, our children,
and the needs of the Church in Ireland.
Amen.