Portugal Catholic Church has announced that (some of the) victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of priests over the years, will finally be receiving financial compensation, to the tune of more than €1.6 million.
Each of the victims whose complaints were ‘upheld’, will be receiving amounts between €9,000 and €45,000.
Of the 95 requests for compensation received after the shocking exposé of sexual deviance within the Church, 78 were considered ‘eligible’, explains the episcopal conference (made up of the Church’s bishops), while 17 were archived.
“Of those considered eligible, 11 were rejected, 57 were given the greenlight for compensation, totalling €1,609,650,” writes noticiasaominuto – adding that the amount, and number of victims to be compensation, is expected to increase: there are still nine applications “in the final phase of analysis”, and one other that awaits the decision of the Holy See.
Financial compensation cannot undo what happened
During the presentation, which was also held via video link, the episcopal conference addressed the victims of abuse to ask for forgiveness. “We do so with deep respect for their pain and in the knowledge that we are faced with deep wounds that have left a lasting mark on their lives. We recognise the gravity of the suffering endured, so often borne in silence for years; we are truly grateful for the testimony you have entrusted to us and we renew our plea for forgiveness for all the harm caused,” stated the bishops, aware that compensation does not “undo what happened”.
“We know that attribution of financial compensation does not undoo what happened, or eliminate the consequences of the abuses in the lives of those who suffered them.
“With this concrete gesture, the Church in Portugal wants to recognise the suffering, and the dignity of each person who endured such abuse, seeking to provide whatever redress is possible for the harm suffered. This is not an isolated act, but part of a responsibility that the Church must assume with humility, as part of a broader commitment that includes listening, support, prevention and intervention through the relevant agencies.”
Explaining some of the reasons for ‘rejecting’ claims*, the bishops stressed that every situation will be dealt with with respect for confidentiality and dignity of those concerned.
All victims will be receiving written notifications (no time scale given), explaining whether or not their requests for compensation have been approved, with all the necessary back-up details.
Today’s announcement has been a very long time in coming: the ‘shock report’ about abuse within the Church was published almost four years ago, and the process of hearing victims and considering claims, has in the eyes of many, been eked out unnecessarily.
*Among grounds for rejecting claims ‘are cases where the complainant was of legal age at the time of the events and it was not established that they were a vulnerable adult, cases where the accused was not a member of the clergy nor held any office or responsibilities within the Church, and cases that did not involve sexual violence’.
Source material: noticiasaominuto
