Church often violates CBCI fiat

Idukki: Amid allegations of priests sexually abusing minors and women inside the church, the Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI) had issued

guidelines

to the bishops and priests in this regard. But in Kerala, these guidelines were often violated.

As per the guidelines, the CBCI had said that it has

zero tolerance

towards any act of violence against women and children.

“The Catholic Church in India acknowledges and considers violence against women and children as a special area of concern and advocates zero tolerance to any act of violence towards women and children,” said a CBCI statement in November 2017.

“Last year as per the CBCI guidelines, each congregation produced a guideline book and issued it to priests and bishops. Each priest and other heads signed the document and submitted it to their congregation heads concerned. The document pointed out that that the Church has zero tolerance on sexual abuse case against children,” said senior priest from Punjab.

In a letter to CBCI president Cardinal Oswald Gracious, Virginia Saldanha (Mumbai), former secretary, CBCI Women's Commission & FABC Laity Commission, said: “We also request you to advice the bishops of India to publicize and create adequate awareness about the CBCI guidelines to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace, and institute the structures and procedures described there without further delay. To preach justice, the Church must be seen to practise justice (Synod of Bishops,1971).Sadly, the representations made by the sister to the bishops have brought no response, raising issues about the credibility of the CBCI policy,” said the letter.

“Last year, we got a guideline document about the sexual abuse against children. But till now, we didn’t get any guideline on the sexual abuse issues against women,” said former Syro Malabar official spoke person Fr Paul Thelakkat.

“The child abuse guideline document is not for public distribution. For the last 12 years, Vatican has been taking initiatives against sexual abuse of children. When Pope Francis took charge, he pointed that the Church has zero tolerance in the child abuse issue. But the document is complicated and may give the laity members a chance to misuse it,” said the priest.

The CBCI also issued guidelines to deal with sexual harassment at workplace last year which pointed out that “The heads of our institutions that come under the purview of the document should take note of it seriously and implement it with the intention of realizing it,” said the document.

“The CBCI and Vatican have zero tolerance in sexual abuse cases of children and women. When such a complaint is received, they should take serious action against the person concerned. But it is sad that in Kerala most of the time the Church authorities are trying to hide the complaint or tarnish the victim,” said a senior priest from the Syro Malabar Church.


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