The Irish Times
04 April 2014
Former Vatican chief prosecutor of clerical sexual abuse Charles Scicluna is to visit Scotlant next week to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct. Photograph: Martial Trezzini/EPA
Bishop Charles Scicluna is being sent by Pope Francis to Scotland’s archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh next week to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct there concerning previous archbishop, Cardinal Keith O’Brien.
Cardinal O’Brien was Archbishop there from 1985 until he resigned in February last year following allegations by three priests and a former priest there that he had inappropriate sexual relations with them dating back 30 years.
It is believed that this is the first time the Vatican has launched such an investigation into the conduct of a cardinal.
Bishop Scicluna, who will be in the archdiocese from Tuesday to Thursday of next week, was Promoter of Justice at the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith until 2012 where he handled the dismissal from priesthood of abuser priests.
He was also central to the investigation which exposed founder of the Legionaries of Christ Fr Marcial Maciel as a sexual abuser, drug addict and father of numerous children.
The current Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh Dr Leo Cushley announced the Vatican investigation in two letters sent to his clergy last Tuesday.
He said Pope Francis had asked the Congregation for Bishops to send Maltese Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna to “listen to and report the testimony offered by past and present members of the clergy … concerning any incidents of sexual misconduct committed against them by other members of the clergy whomsoever.” He asked those who wish to speak with Bishop Scicluna to “prepare their narrative in writing.”
In the second of his letters Archbishop Cushley told clergy “I believe the Holy See is examining the ‘lie of the land’ and trying to establish more precisely the veracity of various assertions now before it.”
He said he had spoken directly to the Pope and to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, on the matter. Cardinal Ouellet, he said, “assured me at length the clergy ought not to be afraid of the process.”
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Vatican expert heads to St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese at Pope’s request
The Scottish Catholic Observer
04 April 2014
BY Ian Dunn
Archbishop Leo Cushley informs priests, hopes for ‘eventual reconciliation’ and welcomes Maltese Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna, who visits to look into allegations of misconduct and abuse
The Vatican is sending an expert to look into the issue of misconduct in the St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese.
An ad clerum letter from Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews and Edinburgh to the priests of his archdiocese reveals that Pope Francis asked the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops to send Maltese Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna (above) to ‘listen to and report the testimony offered by past and present members of the clergy concerning any incidents of sexual misconduct committed against them by other members of the clergy whomsoever.’
The Maltese bishop, who will visit the archdiocese next week, ‘will be available to listen’ to those who make an appointment. Bishop Scicluna, has also asked those who wish to speak with him to ‘prepare their narrative in writing.’
Bishop Scicluna is best known for being asked by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 2005 to collect testimony regarding the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Fr Marcial Maciel, who was later found guilty of sexual abuse.
Bishop Scicluna served as the promoter of justice at the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where in he investigated many allegations of clergy abuse, until 2012, when he was made an auxiliary bishop in Malta.
In a statement Archbishop Cushley said he was ‘grateful to the Holy Father’ for sending Bishop Scicluna’s as he believed the visit would be ‘a positive step towards truth and eventual reconciliation’ and ‘the right thing to do.’
“I am reassured by this and will be pleased to support Bishop Scicluna in any way I can,” the archbishop said. “It is also important that the Holy See take such steps as are necessary to establish and evaluate the serious allegations which have been made over the last 18 months or so. In order to allow Bishop Scicluna to listen and report fully, I encourage all those concerned to cooperate serenely with him.”
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who had served as the archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh since 1985, stepped down from that role last year following allegations of personal misconduct.
—ian@sconews.co.uk
This is quite a surprise. I hope the outcome is just. I hope too that there will be a public statement from the Vatican regarding the outcome.
This is the tip of the iceberg in Scotland. Has anyone been following the story of Father Despard who wrote the tell all book that has annoyed the bishop in the Diocese of Motherwell?
It’s about time! I agree with Liam in that this is just the tip of the iceberg. According to my friends in Ireland, it’s LONG overdue.
My biggest concern is the request by the investigating bishop to “prepare their narrative in writing”. Why? Is the bishop and his staff incapable of taking notes? It would appear that a tremendous number of “notes” already exist on these matters regarding cardinal O’Brien (and others) in Scotland.
I would caution anyone wanting to make a deposition to this bishop in writing do so only after speaking to a reputable lawyer. Once it’s down on paper and in the hands of the Vatican, you are committed.
They (the “Princes of the church”) have already shown repeatedly that their first and foremost priority is to preserve the “reputation” of the church at all costs, not necessarily the mental and physical well-being of a complainant.
Beware, Please! Mike.