Andrew49
08-06-2011, 09:04 AM
Roman Catholic bishops from across Asia will hold a summit on “The Impact of Pedophilia” in the Catholic Church, saying abusive priests are not simply “a problem of the West. The Asian bishops cited several factors that led to the summit, including “letters from different quarters of the church that pedophilia has already become a considerably serious problem in Asia.”
The Federation of Roman Catholic Asian Bishops’ Conferences will host a seminar for bishops and clergy Nov. 14-19 at Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand. The bishops’ clergy office said.
“It is an urgent task before us, especially the leaders of the church, to come together to devise some mechanisms to prevent future occurrences of child abuse by church men/women. Let us not be complacent that pedophilia is a problem of the West or the other continents of the world; it is equally prevalent in many countries of Asia.”
Source (http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/06/asian-bishops-say-abuse-isnt-just-a-problem-of-the-west.php)
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Background
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At least 34 priests have been suspended from ministry in the Philippines, as a sex-abuse scandal broadens in that country.
Father James Reuter, a spokesman for the apostolic nuncio in the Philippines, told the Manila Times that 20 priests had been suspended in one diocese, and 14 in another, because of allegations of sexual harassment. He declined to identify the dioceses involved.
The bishops of the Philippines are currently working on a policy for dealing with charges of sexual abuse. The Church there has been shaken by a series of stories about priestly sexual misconduct. In the Philippines, unlike in the United States, most of the stories have involved priests who have become involved with young women.
The scandal in the Philippines has already touched two bishops. Bishop Crisostomo Yalung of Antipolo resigned after confessing that he had conducted an affair with a young women, and was the father of her children. Bishop Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches sexually harassed and molested his female secretary - this harassment and molestation was confirmed by a local priest who was immediately exiled to China!
Monsignor Bacani initially hotly denied the accusations but later modified his statement saying he was
“deeply sorry for the consequences of any inappropriate expression of affection to my secretary”. In other words, he had the hots for his secretary and since the secretary took offense, there was nothing consensual about his actions. In fact he should have been charged under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 because it happened in a work-related environment. This law, by the way, carries a jail term of one month to six months and a fine of not more than P20,000 or both. But it seems, even Filipino bishops have diplomatic immunity in the Philippines (like Ireland) because they are employed by Vatican City. And, as my husband Alan now reminds me – “The capital of the Philippines is Vatican City.”
The Federation of Roman Catholic Asian Bishops’ Conferences will host a seminar for bishops and clergy Nov. 14-19 at Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand. The bishops’ clergy office said.
“It is an urgent task before us, especially the leaders of the church, to come together to devise some mechanisms to prevent future occurrences of child abuse by church men/women. Let us not be complacent that pedophilia is a problem of the West or the other continents of the world; it is equally prevalent in many countries of Asia.”
Source (http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/06/asian-bishops-say-abuse-isnt-just-a-problem-of-the-west.php)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Background
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
At least 34 priests have been suspended from ministry in the Philippines, as a sex-abuse scandal broadens in that country.
Father James Reuter, a spokesman for the apostolic nuncio in the Philippines, told the Manila Times that 20 priests had been suspended in one diocese, and 14 in another, because of allegations of sexual harassment. He declined to identify the dioceses involved.
The bishops of the Philippines are currently working on a policy for dealing with charges of sexual abuse. The Church there has been shaken by a series of stories about priestly sexual misconduct. In the Philippines, unlike in the United States, most of the stories have involved priests who have become involved with young women.
The scandal in the Philippines has already touched two bishops. Bishop Crisostomo Yalung of Antipolo resigned after confessing that he had conducted an affair with a young women, and was the father of her children. Bishop Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches sexually harassed and molested his female secretary - this harassment and molestation was confirmed by a local priest who was immediately exiled to China!
Monsignor Bacani initially hotly denied the accusations but later modified his statement saying he was
“deeply sorry for the consequences of any inappropriate expression of affection to my secretary”. In other words, he had the hots for his secretary and since the secretary took offense, there was nothing consensual about his actions. In fact he should have been charged under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 because it happened in a work-related environment. This law, by the way, carries a jail term of one month to six months and a fine of not more than P20,000 or both. But it seems, even Filipino bishops have diplomatic immunity in the Philippines (like Ireland) because they are employed by Vatican City. And, as my husband Alan now reminds me – “The capital of the Philippines is Vatican City.”