Accused priest has not yet sued alleged victim
timesofmalta.com
Thursday, October 6, 2011
by Christian Peregin
The Vatican has decided not to defrock Fr Conrad Sciberras over sex abuse allegations but, due to evidence giving rise to “serious suspicions”, his Sacred Ministry will still be restricted to adults.
“Since moral certainty has not been attained that Fr Sciberras is being found guilty of having sexually abused a number of minors in terms of current jurisprudence, a negative decision was given as to whether he sexually abused minors,” the Curia said, quoting a note received from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in Rome.
Still, sex abuse victim Lawrence Grech stands firmly by his allegations. “This is life,” he said yesterday. “I’ve long known about the games the Church plays. I was certain this would happen because there are no court proceedings due to the allegations being time-barred.”
Mr Grech claims the abuse happened in the summer of 1985 when he was 13.
He accused the Church of playing a waiting game in the case of convicted sex abuser Fr Godwin Scerri because there was a “glimmer of hope” that he would be acquitted on appeal.
Unlike the case of Charles Pulis, who was defrocked after he was sentenced by the court, Fr Scerri never admitted to his crimes. “If the Church did not defrock (Mr Pulis), it would have looked mad,” Mr Grech said, pointing out that Mr Pulis had confessed in a police statement.
Mr Grech said there were six witnesses, including himself, making allegations against Fr Sciberras. “Did all six of us lie,” he asked, adding that he never said untruths and he had nothing to hide, so he would continue to stand by his claims. On the other hand, he said, the priest knew the truth and would have to live with his conscience.
“We weren’t believed now… imagine if we were still kids,” Mr Grech said, adding that the Church’s reluctance to defrock the priests was helping to keep a lid on abuse rather than expose it. “I still believe that some day or another the truth will come out… Time will tell,” he said.
Fr Sciberras, Fr Scerri and Mr Pulis all served as members of the Missionary Society of St Paul at St Joseph’s Home in Sta Venera, which housed the group of boys who alleged sexual abuse.
A fourth priest, Fr Joseph Bonnett, died before the court case against him ended.
The claims against Fr Sciberras were investigated by the Curia’s response team, which passed on the case to the Vatican since the allegations were “founded”. Restrictions on his ministry were put in place as a precautionary measure when the allegations were made.
In August, Fr Sciberras filed a judicial protest warning Mr Grech against speaking about the allegations as if they were fact, even though he had never been subjected to any criminal proceedings.
Mr Grech stood his ground and challenged Fr Sciberras to sue him, which so far did not happen.
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Vatican clears priest of sex abuse allegations
The Malta Independent Oline
Article published on 06 October 2011
by Francesca Vella
A priest who was investigated by the Curia’s Response Team over sex abuse claims last year has been acquitted by theVatican, lawyer Louise Anne Pulis confirmed yesterday.
But a statement issued by the Missionary Society of St Paul yesterday evening said that, “Since evidence gives rise to serious suspicions, Fr Sciberras is having his Sacred Ministry restricted to be with persons of adult age.”
A letter received by the MSSP Superior General Fr Bernard Mangion from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, part of which was published by the MSSP yesterday, read, “…moral certainty has not been attained that Fr Conrad Sciberras is being found guilty of having sexually abused a number of minors in the terms of current Jurisprudence.”
As such, a negative decision was given as to whether Fr Conrad Sciberras sexually abused minors, with the caveat.
Contacted yesterday, Fr Sciberras’ lawyer Louise Anne Pulis confirmed, “Fr Conrad Sciberras and I were informed about theVatican’s decision on Tuesday evening. Fr Sciberras had already been acquitted by the Maltese Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal by means of a decree issued on 15 June of this year; theVaticanhas now confirmed that decree.”
Another three priests had been investigated by the Curia’s Response Team and criminal proceedings were initiated against them. Two of them were recently found guilty of defiling teenage boys at two homes belonging to the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP), while the third, Bro. Joseph Bonnet passed way earlier this year before learning of the verdict.
Fr Francesco, also known as Godwin Scerri, 75, and (defrocked) Carmelo Pulis, 66, were given a five- and six-year jail term respectively, but both were granted bail after lodging an appeal.
Fr Sciberras, who is also a member of the MSSP, recently filed a judicial protest against one of theSt Joseph’s Home sex abuse victims, Lawrence Grech, saying that Mr Grech had lied blatantly and changed his version of events several times.
In the judicial protest, the priest noted that there have never been criminal proceedings against him, and he complained about serious sex abuse allegations that Mr Grech made against him.
The Curia’s Response Team had investigated the allegations on the insistence of Mr Grech and others, and according to a letter that the victims received from Fr Louis Mallia, the regional superior of the MSSP, the Response Team had found that the allegations against Fr Sciberras and the other priests were “founded”.
The investigation was followed by an administrative process and a decree issued by the Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal.
Last month, Fr Sciberras’ lawyer told this newspaper: “At this stage the priest is bound to secrecy as far as the decree is confirmed, as this still needs to be confirmed by the Vatican.”
Asked yesterday whether the decree can now be made public, Dr Pulis replied in the negative, saying the decree has been filed in the Archbishop Curia’s secret archives.
“The case involved witnesses, documentation and evidence. There was inconsistency in the alleged victims’ testimonies as they gave different versions of events,” explained Dr Pulis.
Fr Sciberras had already been acquitted by the Maltese Curia’s Ecclesiastical Tribunal by means of a decree issued on 15 June of this year
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Update 1: Vatican acquits Fr Sciberras, but restricts his ministry
di-ve.com
Local News — 05 October 2011 — 18:25CEST
by di-ve.com – editorial@di-ve.com
The Vatican has ruled that allegations that Fr Conrad Sciberras sexually abused children at St Joseph’s Home in Santa Venera could not be proven, but “serious suspicions” arising from the evidence at hand led it to restrict him from working with children.
Victims of abuse at the home for boys had made claims against Fr Sciberras and other members of the MSSP – Charles Pulis, Godwin Scerri and Joseph Bonett.
But he was not charged of any crime, while Fr Pulis and Fr Scerri were jailed for 6 and 5 years respectively, although they are currently out on appeal. Fr Bonett died earlier this year, before proceedings against him were concluded.
Last August, Fr Sciberras filed a judicial protest against one of the victims, Lawrence Grech, stating that his statements against him were prejudicing proceedings in the Vatican.
The Vatican’s decision, made public today, states that “since moral certainty has not been attained that Fr Conrad Sciberras is being found guilty of having sexually abused a number of minors in the terms of current jurisprudence,” he is not being found guilty of sexually abusing minors.
But “since evidence gives rise to serious suspicions, Fr Sciberras is having his sacred ministry restricted to be with persons of adult age,” the Vatican ruled.
Comments (2)
 Sister Maureen Paul Turlish / 6/10/2011 |
Fr Schibrras should be minister to no one of any age. He, like Pulis and Scerri, should be laicized and excommunicated.
Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Advocate for Victims & Legislative Reform
Delaware & Pennsylvania, USA
maturlishmdsnd@yahoo.com——————————————— Carmelo Schembri / 6/10/2011
Can the Vatican explain where the Guardian Angel was, was he sleeping at the wheel?
Ridiculous! Talk about dancing on the head of a canonical pin!
I don’t believe this nonsense. …
There are “serious suspicions” but there is not “moral certainty”? Because of the lack of “moral certainty” Sciberras is found not guilty of the sex abuse, BUT, because of “serious suspicions” Sciberras’ “sacred ministry” is restricted “to be with persons of adult age”?!!!
Does this mean that Sciberras can ‘minister’ with alacrity to 17-year-old boys?
And what of ‘ministering’ to those with children?
Would Sciberras be ‘ministering’ when he’s in the home of a Catholic family – children and all?
IS it alright for him to be in the company of children when he’s not ‘ministering’ but is still very much identified and/or revered as a Roman Catholic priest?
Absolute canonical nonsense. I feel so sorry for the victims.
This one is glowing proof, once again, they know the truth, but they really do not see any harm in a bit of child abuse here and there. Castration would be one answer for dealing with the enabling Bishops, and a barbed wire cage around the genitals of the offending Priest- one that could not be removed except for an operation.
‘1 abandoned sheep’
That is really mouthful of frustration you wrote there. Rightly so!
Believe me I do share those frustrations with you. I was thinking in the same way somewhat.
All those poor clergy abuse victims. Such a tough journey they go through. All those sexual predators, the molesters, pedophiles etc… they find every trick in the book and on earth to keep loving the lie and want to stay in that land of denial with some of the help from their brother priests/clergy. So sick it makes me want to puke.
Sister Maureen Paul Turlis, says it all with her comment:….”Fr Schibrras should be minister to no one of any age. He, like Pulis and Scerri, should be laicized and excommunicated.”
This Sister is a great lady and a super Advocate for Victims & Legislative Reform!