The Herald has an important piece on the sexual abuse crisis in Scotland. The Bishop of Aberdeen has openly stated that sexual and other crimes were committed at Fort Augustus Abbey. I thank God for Bishop Gilbert's bravery and honesty. This, after continued lies and denial by members of the hierarchy.
You will note that the former Archbishop of Glagow, Conti was one who worked to perpetuate the cover-up. This is the same man who helped smooth things over as a friend of the disgraced Fr. Paul Milarive (of "drunken homosexual incident" infamy). Milarive continues as a force within the Glaswegian Curia etc. So far, Bishop Gilbert is one voice crying in the wilderness.
However, the crack in the wall is now breaking open. The "gay mafia", the child abusers, the moral and spiritual criminals who have decimated the church in Scotland will not longer be able to suppress the truth.
As a Scot from Glasgow, writing for Witness, I will continue to speak loudly and boldly on this issue until these evil men are removed from positions in the hierarchy and clergy. Those who have committed crimes must be charged and dealt with in the courts of law. Those who have committed sexual crimes - violating celibacy, mostly through sodomy - should owe up to their sins, seek forgiveness from Christ through the Church and retire to a life of penance and prayer. The Church in Scotland needs holy priests. Please pray for Scotland.
Leading experts and a child abuse victim praised yesterday's announcement by Hugh Gilbert, the Bishop of Aberdeen, that the allegations surrounding Fort Augustus Abbey in the Highlands had shamed the church.
His comments marked a new direction for the church, which has previously faced accusations of dismissing such claims.
During mass at a church near the school, which shut in the 1990s, he said: "It is a most bitter, shaming and distressing thing that in this former Abbey School a small number of baptised, consecrated and ordained Christian men physically or sexually abused those in their care."
The Bishop added that he was "anxious that there be a thorough police investigation".
Five men last week came forward to say they were raped or sexually abused by Father Aidan Duggan, an Australian Benedictine monk who taught at Fort Augustus and Carlekemp, a feeder school in East Lothian, between 1953 and 1974.
No comments:
Post a Comment