Rui Valério’s first message refers to child sex abuse scandal
The new cardinal patriarch of Lisbon, Rui Valério, has used his first address to reinforce the Catholic Church’s ‘zero tolerance’ approach towards “unworthy members” outed for child sex abuse.
“In his first message to the faithful of the Lisbon Patriarchate, the former bishop of the armed forces and security forces wanted to emphasise his concern about cases of abuse in the Church, which, at this year’s Chrism Mass, before military chaplains, he described as “a real punch in the stomach” perpetrated by “unworthy members of the Church”.
“I greet the brothers and sisters who have been abused by members of the Church, my brothers; I share your pain and together we will continue, with hope, on the path of total healing of your and our suffering, of zero tolerance,” wrote the new cardinal in a message released a few minutes after the announcement of his appointment by the Vatican.
In the text, in which he classifies Lisbon as “capital of youth and city of hope“, Rui Valério also left a message to young people, from whom he says focus should not be “shifted”, in order to “keep alive the flame and mystique of the World Youth Day event”.
“For young people and with young people, we are called to be a missionary and outgoing Church, carrying in our hearts the ardour to reach out to all,” he wrote, giving thanks to the Pope, for his “encouragement”; to the Apostolic Nuncio, for his “support”, and to outgoing cardinal patriarch Manuel Clemente, for his “encouragement and friendship”.
The new Churchman at the top, also gave his greetings to Lisbon’s auxiliary bishops, Joaquim Mendes and Américo Aguiar (the driving force, representing the Church, in the organisation of World Youth Day).
Rui Valério, 58, is a native of Urqueira, in the municipality of Ourém. He was ordained a priest in 1991 in Fátima. Belonging to the Montfort Missionaries, Valério was the first Portuguese priest of that congregation to be ordained bishop, writes Lusa.
Manuel Clemente, who has been at the head of the Patriarchate of Lisbon for the last 10 years, turned 75 last month, at which age he was “due to resign as head of the diocese”. He will however stay on as Apostolic Administrator of the Patriarchate of Lisbon until the canonical inauguration of the new patriarch, scheduled for Saturday, September 2, at 11am, in the Lisbon Patriarchal Cathedral.
Source: LUSA
