Abuse scandal in spotlight as Pope visits Belgium
September 27, 2024
The lingering damage of the sex-abuse scandal was painfully evident as Pope Francis spoke with civil leaders in Belgium on September 27, the first full day of his visit there.
The Pontiff acknowledged that the scandal was “our shame and humiliation,” and vowed that the Church is acting decisively against abuse, to “make every effort so that this doesn’t happen again.”
But Belgian leaders, even as they welcomed the Pope to their country, emphasized that promises would not be sufficient— especially in light of new revelations of abuse and cover-ups. Belgium’s King Philip spoke of the “unspeakable tragedy of sexual abuse within the Church”— an unusually blunt appraisal in what would ordinarily be an uncontroversial welcoming address. The country’s prime minister, Alexander De Croo, went further, in what an AP story described as a “blistering” speech, “one of the most pointed ever directed at the Po0ep during a foreign trip.”
”Today words alone do not suffice,” De Croo said. “When something goes wrong we cannot accept cover-ups.” The scandal has badly shaken confidence in the Catholic hierarchy, the prime minister said, and despite vows of reform “there is still a long way to go.”
Vatican officials were well aware that the Pope would face tough questions about the abuse scandal when he visited Belgium. But the problem was compounded by a new story that broke shortly before the papal visit. AP explained:
A few days before the highlight of Pope Francis’ visit to Belgium — a Mass at the biggest stadium in Brussels — the specially selected choir of 120 was rehearsing a brand-new closing hymn when it became known that the composer was a priest accused of molesting young women.
That late-breaking report reopened wounds that have been festering in Belgium since Bishop Roger Vangheluwe of Bruges resigned in 2010, following revelations that he had sexually abused his own nephew over a period of years. Fourteen years would pass before the Vatican announced that Vangheluwe had been laicized, in a belated response to repeated pleas from the Belgian bishops for disciplinary action. In January of this year, prior to the Vatican announcement, a spokesman for the country’s episcopal conference had said that it would “be difficult for Pope Francis to make a peaceful visit” if the Vangheluwe case remained unresolved.
That case had sparked a thorough police investigation of the Belgian hierarchy, including a shocking raid on chancery offices and on the residence of the late Cardinal Godfried Danneels. Church leaders angrily protested the police actions. But their suspicions were confirmed when an audio tape emerged, of a conversation in which the cardinal had urged Bishop Vangheluwe’s victim not to report the abuse. Despite that clear evidence of complicity, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Danneels— who by that time was retired— to participate in the 2014 Synod on the Family.
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Further information:
- Pope condemns 'shameful' abuse in address to Belgian authorities (Vatican News)
- Pope to civil authorities: Europe needs Belgium to build bridges to peace (Vatican News)
- Belgian leader and king criticize Pope Francis to his face over Catholic Church’s sex abuse legacy (AP)
- Tone deaf and color blind? Catholic Church struggles to keep accused abusers out of religious art (AP)
- Pope Francis, pressed by Belgium on sexual abuse, says Church acting 'decisively' (Reuters)
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