ROME — One in every of Pope Francis’ proposed new cardinals, the retired bishop of Ghent, Belgium, has bowed out of accepting the respect over his inadequate response to instances of clergy sexual abuse, the Belgian bishops convention mentioned.
Ghent Bishop Luc Van Looy had requested Francis for permission to say no the respect so as “to not hurt victims once more,” and Francis accepted the request, the bishops mentioned in an announcement.
Francis had named Van Looy as considered one of 21 prelates to develop into a brand new “prince of the church” throughout a consistory Aug. 27. At 80, Van Looy is simply too outdated to take part in a future conclave to resolve on the following pope, however he was considered one of 5 males named as cardinals in recognition of their lifetime of service to the church.
Van Looy, a priest of the Salesian non secular order, had been bishop of the northwest Belgian diocese from 2004-2020.
The Belgian bishops convention mentioned the announcement that he can be made a cardinal had “generated a variety of constructive response but additionally criticism of the truth that he didn’t all the time react with enough power as bishop of Ghent towards abuse in his pastoral work.”
The convention mentioned it appreciated Van Looy’s choice to say no the respect and reiterated its dedication to preventing abuse within the church and putting the pursuits of victims first.
The Belgian Catholic Church has had a wretched file with abuse and cover-up: In 2010 the Belgian church acknowledged greater than 500 instances of abuse relationship from the Fifties after it commissioned a report that discovered at the very least 13 victims dedicated suicide.
That very same yr, police raided church workplaces and the archbishop of Bruges resigned after admitting he had sexually abused his nephew for years whereas a priest and bishop. The Bruges scandal additionally tarnished the then-head of the Belgian church, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who was recorded urging the bishop’s’ sufferer to remain quiet.
