New chapter on sexual abuse in the church

Vatican City, 6 (AFP) – Pope Francis' public admission that priests and bishops have used nuns as "bad slaves" marks a new crisis of scandals related to abuses perpetrated in the country. Catholic Church.

Italian historian and journalist Lucetta Scaraffia, director of L'Osservatore Romano's women's supplement, dedicated the February issue to cases of badual violence against nuns, sparking a new scandal within the institution. millennium. The denunciation was confirmed by the pontiff, who admitted that priests and also bishops badually abused nuns for decades. The confession of the pope surprised journalists who attended the press conference on the return flight from the United Arab Emirates to Italy. "There were priests and also bishops who did that," said the pope, who has never addressed this issue publicly.

"The Church" has suspended several clerics "and the Vatican" has been working (on this issue) for a long time, "he said, adding that the scandal adds to the wave of complaints against pedophile priests in many countries, from Chile to Ireland, via the United States and Australia.The Vatican weekly even reported rape of nuns forced to abort or raise children who were not recognized by their priests.

A little reported phenomenon that is emerging in many countries, including Ireland, Chile, Italy, Peru and India, as well as in Africa. "This is a very difficult situation that is rooted in the dependence of the nuns and they are not recognized as equals," said Scaraffia.

In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Acting Spokesman for the Holy See, Alessandro Gisotti, said that when the Holy Father spoke on the eve of "badual slavery" in some congregations, he also refers to "manipulations and forms of abuse". of power, which also includes badual abuse. "Since November of last year, the International Union of the Superiors General (UISG), an organization representing more than half a million Catholic nuns, has been involved in the process. is committed to badisting all religious denouncing badual badault.

Break the silence

The pope recalled that the battle had been opened by his predecessor, Benedict XVI (2005-2013), who "had the courage to dissolve a congregation" for his slavery, including badually, of its founder. Francisco was referring to the French Congregation of the Contemplative Sisters of Saint John, whose superiors were removed from office after a Vatican inquiry into their excesses, including badual abuse.

Following revelations about child abuse by priests and the global impact of the #MeToo movement, the nuns also began to break the silence. Last week, a senior Vatican cleric, accused by a German exmonja of abuse during confessions, resigned after four years and a canonical trial limited to a mere call for attention. "Many complaints have reached the Vatican, but they are not subject to follow-up," Scaraffia said.

"I hope that they form a commission to investigate cases, that religious experts participate, that judgments are open, but above all that the silence is broken. the silence that allows rapists to continue to rape, "he added. For religious women victims of abuse, it is not easy to talk about it because they fear that the denunciation affects them or affect the congregation.

Scaraffia believes that the Church should question the power of priests over nuns, who decide whether or not to join religious orders, organize their daily lives and even fix the wages they receive. "It's an opportunity to show that change is really happening," says the historian, who wants to end the traditional power of priests over nuns.