For some time the smug, childless, bitter old men at the Vatican endeavored to depict the Roman Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal as something unique to English speaking countries as if somehow western English speaking societies somehow were a cause of sexual abuse by priests. As if the growing sex abuse furor in Germany had not made a lie of that posturing, now a major sex abuse scandal is beginning to explode in the Netherlands. Obviously, the problem is systemic to the Church and its bizarre obsession with all things sexual and culture of secrecy and putting protection of members of the priesthood ahead of morality and decency - not to mention compliance with secular criminal laws. Indeed, as the Church teams up with anti-gay Mormons and others in its persecution of LGBT citizens, it's as if a Divine justice is being applied to the morally bankrupt Church leadership (yes, that includes Papa Ratzi too). Radio Netherlands has details on the latest exposure of the Church's dirty linen. Here are some highlights:*
Amid the high-profile child sexual abuse scandals in the United States and other European countries, the reputation of the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands has remained unsullied. But a joint investigation by Radio Netherlands Worldwide and NRC Handelsblad reveals that this is unjustified.
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Sexual abuse of children by priests has been brought to light in a number of countries, but the recent apologies from the Vatican are “too little too late”. At least, that is the opinion of Yvo van Kuijck, former chairman of the independent Assessment and Advisory Committee (Beoordelings- en Adviescommissie, BAC) which cooperates with Hulp & Recht, the Netherlands’ hotline for reporting sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
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Since it was set up in 1995, the hotline has received almost 300 reports of sexual abuse. “It has taken too long for the Church to apologise and take action. (…) The Dutch bishops adopted the same ‘wait and see’ approach. I didn’t get the impression that dealing with sexual abuse was a priority for them."
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Two years ago, dissatisfied with the attitude taken by the Dutch bishops, Yvo van Kuijck, now vice-president of the District Court in Arnhem, resigned along with the entire Assessment and Advisory Committee. Priests guilty of abuse in one parish were simply transferred to another parish where they were free to find new victims. "Not only is that unprofessional, it’s inconceivable."
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In the period that Janne Geraets was abused at the Don Rua boarding school, the current Bishop of Rotterdam, Ad van Luyn, was working there as a teacher. In the 1970s, Bishop Van Luyn was provincial head of the Salesians. Since 2008 he has chaired the Netherlands Synod of Bishops. Ad van Luyn declines to discuss "past issues". Through a spokesman, he explains that "matters relating to the congregation are the responsibility of the current father superior, even if they relate to previous governors."
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Amid the high-profile child sexual abuse scandals in the United States and other European countries, the reputation of the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands has remained unsullied. But a joint investigation by Radio Netherlands Worldwide and NRC Handelsblad reveals that this is unjustified.
*
Sexual abuse of children by priests has been brought to light in a number of countries, but the recent apologies from the Vatican are “too little too late”. At least, that is the opinion of Yvo van Kuijck, former chairman of the independent Assessment and Advisory Committee (Beoordelings- en Adviescommissie, BAC) which cooperates with Hulp & Recht, the Netherlands’ hotline for reporting sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
*
Since it was set up in 1995, the hotline has received almost 300 reports of sexual abuse. “It has taken too long for the Church to apologise and take action. (…) The Dutch bishops adopted the same ‘wait and see’ approach. I didn’t get the impression that dealing with sexual abuse was a priority for them."
*
Two years ago, dissatisfied with the attitude taken by the Dutch bishops, Yvo van Kuijck, now vice-president of the District Court in Arnhem, resigned along with the entire Assessment and Advisory Committee. Priests guilty of abuse in one parish were simply transferred to another parish where they were free to find new victims. "Not only is that unprofessional, it’s inconceivable."
*
In the period that Janne Geraets was abused at the Don Rua boarding school, the current Bishop of Rotterdam, Ad van Luyn, was working there as a teacher. In the 1970s, Bishop Van Luyn was provincial head of the Salesians. Since 2008 he has chaired the Netherlands Synod of Bishops. Ad van Luyn declines to discuss "past issues". Through a spokesman, he explains that "matters relating to the congregation are the responsibility of the current father superior, even if they relate to previous governors."
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It is beyond shocking that in the minds of priests and senior members of the hierarchy children and youths were a disposable commodity. Just as has been shown to be the case in other countries where abuse scandals have exploded, predatory priests were merely reassigned to different parishes and institutions where they could continue to prey on the innocent. Why does anyone listen to these morally bankrupt Church leaders?
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