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India Catholic Cardinal Oswald Gracias ‘failed abuse victims’
Over the past year, the Catholic Church has been reeling under multiple allegations of sexual abuse around the world.
But while abuse claims have made headlines in North and South America, Europe and Australia, very little is known about the problems in Asian countries. In countries such as India there is a social stigma about reporting abuse.
Among Christians, who are a minority of nearly 28 million people, a culture of fear and silence makes it impossible to gauge the true scale of the problem.
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago - a colleague of Cardinal Gracias on the four-member organising committee - has promised that decisive action in Rome and in dioceses worldwide will follow after the meeting so as to safeguard children and bring justice to the victims.
Cardinal Gracias will open the second day of the summit with a conversation about accountability in the Church.
This vital role given to him during this crucial conference has made some in India unhappy.
They say his track record in protecting children and women from abusers is questionable. Those we have spoken to who have taken cases to him say they received little support from him.
The mother of the abused boy said: "I told the cardinal about what the priest had done to my child, that my child was in a lot of pain. So he prayed for us and told us he had to go to Rome…my heart was hurt in that moment.
"As a mother, I had gone to him with great expectations that he would think about my son, give me justice, but he said he had no time, he only cared about going to Rome."
The family say they requested medical help but were offered none.
The cardinal told us it pained him to hear this, and that he that he was not aware that the boy needed medical help - and if he had been asked, he would have immediately offered it.
The cardinal admits he left for Rome that night without alerting the authorities.
By failing to call the police, Cardinal Gracias may have violated India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POSCO).
The provisions of this law state that if the head of any company or institution who fails to report the commission of an offence in respect of a subordinate under his control shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, and with a fine.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47302447
Over the past year, the Catholic Church has been reeling under multiple allegations of sexual abuse around the world.
But while abuse claims have made headlines in North and South America, Europe and Australia, very little is known about the problems in Asian countries. In countries such as India there is a social stigma about reporting abuse.
Among Christians, who are a minority of nearly 28 million people, a culture of fear and silence makes it impossible to gauge the true scale of the problem.
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago - a colleague of Cardinal Gracias on the four-member organising committee - has promised that decisive action in Rome and in dioceses worldwide will follow after the meeting so as to safeguard children and bring justice to the victims.
Cardinal Gracias will open the second day of the summit with a conversation about accountability in the Church.
This vital role given to him during this crucial conference has made some in India unhappy.
They say his track record in protecting children and women from abusers is questionable. Those we have spoken to who have taken cases to him say they received little support from him.
The mother of the abused boy said: "I told the cardinal about what the priest had done to my child, that my child was in a lot of pain. So he prayed for us and told us he had to go to Rome…my heart was hurt in that moment.
"As a mother, I had gone to him with great expectations that he would think about my son, give me justice, but he said he had no time, he only cared about going to Rome."
The family say they requested medical help but were offered none.
The cardinal told us it pained him to hear this, and that he that he was not aware that the boy needed medical help - and if he had been asked, he would have immediately offered it.
The cardinal admits he left for Rome that night without alerting the authorities.
By failing to call the police, Cardinal Gracias may have violated India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POSCO).
The provisions of this law state that if the head of any company or institution who fails to report the commission of an offence in respect of a subordinate under his control shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, and with a fine.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47302447
