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| British victim dismissed from Vatican inquiry into clerical sex abuse | British victim dismissed from Vatican inquiry into clerical sex abuse |
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| A vocal critic of the Catholic church’s handling of clerical sex abuse has been dismissed from a Vatican commission examining the issue in a move that will fuel accusations that Pope Francis has done little to tackle paedophilia within the clergy. | |
| Peter Saunders, a Briton who was abused by two priests as a teenager, was in Rome attending the advisory body’s weekend meeting when it was announced that he was taking a leave of absence. | Peter Saunders, a Briton who was abused by two priests as a teenager, was in Rome attending the advisory body’s weekend meeting when it was announced that he was taking a leave of absence. |
| “It was decided that Mr Peter Saunders would take a leave of absence from his membership to consider how he might best support the commission’s work,” said the advisory board, officially known as the pontifical commission for the protection of minors. | “It was decided that Mr Peter Saunders would take a leave of absence from his membership to consider how he might best support the commission’s work,” said the advisory board, officially known as the pontifical commission for the protection of minors. |
| The president of the commission, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, said Saunders had been asked to advise on “the possible establishment of a victim survivor panel to work with the commission”. | The president of the commission, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, said Saunders had been asked to advise on “the possible establishment of a victim survivor panel to work with the commission”. |
| But Saunders said following the announcement that he was not consulted on the move and that only Pope Francis could terminate his involvement. Earlier, on Thursday, Saunders told the Guardian in an interview that he had no intention of resigning from the commission. “I’m not resigning … the only person who can remove me from the commission is Francis,” he said. | But Saunders said following the announcement that he was not consulted on the move and that only Pope Francis could terminate his involvement. Earlier, on Thursday, Saunders told the Guardian in an interview that he had no intention of resigning from the commission. “I’m not resigning … the only person who can remove me from the commission is Francis,” he said. |
| Related: British child sexual abuse survivor to press pope over case of Chilean bishop | Related: British child sexual abuse survivor to press pope over case of Chilean bishop |
| Saunders, along with Marie Collins, a victim from Ireland, was chosen by the pope to join the commission in 2014, to advise the Vatican on how to respond to historic clerical abuse. | Saunders, along with Marie Collins, a victim from Ireland, was chosen by the pope to join the commission in 2014, to advise the Vatican on how to respond to historic clerical abuse. |
| Saunders was described as a “brave, honest and tireless voice for kids and victims” by David Clohessy, director of the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap). He accused the Vatican of inaction. | Saunders was described as a “brave, honest and tireless voice for kids and victims” by David Clohessy, director of the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap). He accused the Vatican of inaction. |
| “They do what church officials have done for decades: shrewdly fixate on and discuss meaningless internal policies on paper that give the impression of progress while changing virtually nothing,” he said. | “They do what church officials have done for decades: shrewdly fixate on and discuss meaningless internal policies on paper that give the impression of progress while changing virtually nothing,” he said. |
| Saunders criticised the Holy See’s response to paedophilia within the church, calling on the Vatican to sack its financial chief, Cardinal George Pell, over his alleged involvement in covering up abuse. The Australian cardinal turned to his lawyers, while the commission sought to distance itself from Saunders’s “personal views”. | Saunders criticised the Holy See’s response to paedophilia within the church, calling on the Vatican to sack its financial chief, Cardinal George Pell, over his alleged involvement in covering up abuse. The Australian cardinal turned to his lawyers, while the commission sought to distance itself from Saunders’s “personal views”. |
| Saunders also urged the Vatican to take action against a Chilean bishop, Juan Barros, accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children by his mentor, Fernando Karadima. Barros denies the allegations and was last year appointed by Francis to the Osorno diocese in Chile. | Saunders also urged the Vatican to take action against a Chilean bishop, Juan Barros, accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children by his mentor, Fernando Karadima. Barros denies the allegations and was last year appointed by Francis to the Osorno diocese in Chile. |
| Juan Carlos Cruz, one of Karadima’s victims, travelled to Rome this weekend to present the pope with a letter about the Barros situation, Saunders said. The two were expected to attend a press conference together on Saturday. | Juan Carlos Cruz, one of Karadima’s victims, travelled to Rome this weekend to present the pope with a letter about the Barros situation, Saunders said. The two were expected to attend a press conference together on Saturday. |
| Saunders described deep frustration with the direction of the committee and a sense that Francis was not living up to his promise that there would be a zero-tolerancepolicy on clerical sex abuse and cover-ups by senior church officials. | Saunders described deep frustration with the direction of the committee and a sense that Francis was not living up to his promise that there would be a zero-tolerancepolicy on clerical sex abuse and cover-ups by senior church officials. |
| “For me, this is the end of the honeymoon for the pope on this issue,” Saunders said. “He gave me confidence that he was serious on this issue [when the committee was created in 2014], but I have seen nothing to demonstrate the seriousness of his commitment. This commission is beginning to be a laughing stock.” | “For me, this is the end of the honeymoon for the pope on this issue,” Saunders said. “He gave me confidence that he was serious on this issue [when the committee was created in 2014], but I have seen nothing to demonstrate the seriousness of his commitment. This commission is beginning to be a laughing stock.” |
| While Saunders had a number of frustrations, key among them has been Pope Francis’s handling of the Barros case. Alleged victims have claimed the Chilean bishop was aware of but did nothing to stop abuse by Karadima. The issue is known to be a sore point for the pope, who has staunchly supported Barros over the objection of priests and parishioners in Chile, and was seen on a video that was released last year disparaging Barros’s critics. | |
| “The Osorno community is suffering because it’s dumb,” Pope Francis told a group of tourists at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City. “It has let its head be filled with what politicians say, judging a bishop without any proof. Don’t be led by the nose by the leftists who orchestrated all of this,” the pope said. A video recording of the comments was released last year. | |
| Saunders’ departure from the committee will likely further anger activists, some of whom are abuse survivors and are already frustrated by Pope Francis on the issue. |