The Vatican has ordered an investigation into high-ranking Catholic clerics in Switzerland in connection with sexual abuse
The group said in a statement that there were allegations against several active and retired bishops as well as other clergy for their handling of abuse cases.
According to the bishops’ conference, the Vatican received a letter with the allegations in May and subsequently appointed Swiss Bishop Joseph Bonnemain to head a preliminary investigation in June.Father Nicolas Betticher, a priest at the Bruder Klaus church in the Swiss capital Bern, confirmed to The Associated Press that he had written the letter, which first came to light earlier Sunday in report by the newspaper Blick.
In a phone interview, Betticher told the AP he was motivated by a call from Pope Francis himself for members of the clergy to “announce” any signs of sexual abuse or cover-up that they may have come across, and by years of hand-wringing about sexual abuses cases that thwarted efforts at justice and the truth by victims and their families.
“Twenty years ago, we did not have a sufficient legal basis and therefore we made a lot of mistakes,” Betticher said. “Now, I see that for 10 years, we have continued to make mistakes and today, there is a kind of will to hide certain things, or not to be precise, and not to go through with the checks .”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Vatican ordered investigation into Catholic clerics linked to abuse, Swiss Bishops' Conference saysThe Vatican has ordered an investigation into high-ranking Catholic clerics in Switzerland in connection with sexual abuse.
Read more »
U.S. Bishops Slam Biden’s Transgender War on Catholic CharitiesThe USCCB has filed a complaint with the Biden admin over its proposed rule limiting HHS grants to those who accept transgender ideology.
Read more »
Chicago teachers union boss who denounced school choice as racist has son in Catholic school: reportChicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates reportedly enrolled her son in a private high school despite earlier denouncing school choice as racist in origin.
Read more »
Sylvester Stallone and Pope Francis jokingly face off in Vatican CitySylvester Stallone met Pope Francis in Vatican City, where he jokingly asked the head of the Catholic Church to a boxing match. The 'Rocky' star is on an Italian vacation with his family.
Read more »
Anne Marie Fallahnejad, pioneering pathologist and Catholic theologian, has died at 77She grew up in Camden and was the only woman in her Hahnemann Medical College graduating class of 1974.
Read more »
No. 17 Pope John knocks off No. 11 Paramus Catholic in Top 20 football slugfestLions build big lead and hold on
Read more »