Belgian bishop faces new abuse allegations

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Reuters Canada

Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:26pm EDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A Belgian lawyer said on Monday he had launched an inquiry into a new case of alleged sexual abuse by the former bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, who has already admitted to having abused his under-age nephews.

“The present case concerns sexual abuse in the 1990s,” at a care home in Loker, in western Belgium near the French border, the lawyer, Walter Van Steenbrugge, said.

He said he had handed the allegations to a court in Brussels and lodged an inquiry with it. It was up to the court to decide whether the statute of limitations ruled out a prosecution, and if not, whether or not to prosecute the bishop, he added.

Vangheluwe, who was bishop of Bruges from 1984 to 2010, is the highest-ranking member of the Belgian Catholic Church to be involved in a child abuse scandal which resulted in 475 complaints of molestation by priests.

Vangheluwe admitted in 2010 that he had abused one of his nephews during the 1980s, when the nephew was a child. That case was beyond the statute of limitations, but he was forced to resign as bishop and left Belgium under Vatican orders.

He caused outrage in 2011 when he told a Belgian TV station that he had also abused a second nephew but that he did not consider himself a pedophile.

(Reporting By Robert-Jan Bartunek, editing by Sebastian Moffett, editing by Tim Pearce)

4 Responses to Belgian bishop faces new abuse allegations

  1. Sylvia says:

    This past April the prosecutor’s office in Belgium was considering filing charges against Bishop Roger Vangheluwe.  That was in relation to allegations that  Vangheluwe and another priest sexually abused tow young boys at a camp about two decades ago.  To date, nothing has come of this.  Now another set of allegations has landed on the prosecutor’s desktop.  Will the Statute of Limitations be Vangheluwe’s saving grace?  I hope not.  There surely must be some way to have this man charged and brought to justice? 

  2. 1yellowknife says:

    This is what today’s online publications  i.e.  “De Standaard” stated  (summary, not direct translation)
    1. Roger Vangheluwe (RV)  used visit  Huize Godtschalck, an orphanage in Loker. His housekeeper was a former employee of this orphanage. RV would take children from the facility for an outing  into the dunes. His accuser states he was abused  (at 8 years of age)  by RV there
    2. The boy reported the abuse to orphanage supervisors. He was locked up as a result.
    3. The abusive  actions reported exceed the statues of limitations.
    4. “Since RV’s actions were  reported (by the boy)  and since  the abuse-report  was not acted on by the RC authorities, the RC hierarchy  can and will  be held accountable”  (statement lawyer Walter van Steenbrugge)
    5. The accuser is now an adult; he has a disassociative disorder and may be incarcerated at this time. He is described as severely  traumatized.
    6. Former residents of the orphanage and former employees of the orphanage have reported abuse or inapproriate actions as well.  No details provided.  Not clear if this is regarding RV only or other sources as well.
    7. Descriptions of the RV  abuse vary: it varies from groping to severe assault.

    Note:I believe  Lieve Halsberghe, SNAP Belgium,  and the many well-informed Belgian  reporters will ensure this report will be tracked and reported.  

  3. 1yellowknife says:

    Reported in  flemish language newspaper Knack: 
    Roger Vangheluwe’s lawyer, van Cauter, states RV is being publically crucified and that he is the victim of “media-judging”.

  4. Sylvia says:

    Thanks 1yellowknife.  Keep us posted.  Yes, you are right. I am sure Lieve and the Belgium media will keep feet to the fire here to ensure that if it is at all possible charges will be laid.

    Imagine Vangheluwe’s lawyer crying that his client is being publicly crucified and the victim of “media-judging.”  My goodness, the bishop has already admitted that he sexually abused two of his nephews.

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