(Eagle News) – Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle admitted publicly in a world meeting of Catholic bishops on Thursday, February 21, in Vatican City on how priests had sexually abused children and minors, and stressed the need for all priests to “bring healing” to the wounds they had inflicted.

Tagle was the first to give the formal talk in the meeting called by the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis to address the widespread abuse of minors by members of the clergy that had brought scandal to Vatican’s doorsteps.

He said that the abuse of minors by members of the Catholic clergy “has inflicted wounds not only on the victims but also on their families, the clergy, the church, the wider society, the perpetrators themselves and the bishops.”

“But it is also true, we humbly and sorrowfully admit, that wounds have been inflicted by us, bishops, on the victims, and, in fact, the entire body of Christ,” he said.

-Lack of response, cover-up of scandals, hurting Catholic institution-

“Our lack of response to the suffering of victims even to the point of rejecting them and covering up the scandal to protect perpetrators and the institution has injured our people, leaving a deep wound in our relationship with those we are sent to serve,” Tagle told the meeting of Catholic bishops at the New Synod Hall.

This was the first time that a top member of the Philippine Catholic clergy extensively talked about the issue of widespread abuse of minors by priests which President Rodrigo Duterte had public denounced in numerous occasions, citing his own experience of how he was abused as a minor by a Jesuit priest in Ateneo de Davao.

The Catholic archbishop for Manila said it was wrong for Catholic priests and bishops to just ignore the issue of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy, and noted the Church’s “poor handling of these crimes.”

“How can we profess faith in Christ when we close our eyes to all the wounds inflicted by abuse?” he asked.

“Brothers and sisters, this is what is at stake in this moment of crisis brought about by the abuse of children and our poor handling of these crimes,” Tagle said.

“Our people need us to draw close to their wounds and acknowledge our faults, if we are to give authentic and credible witness to our faith in the resurrection,” he noted.

-Responsibility to bring healing-

Tagle said that this meant that “each of us and our brothers and sisters at home must take personal responsibility for bringing healing to this wound in the body of Christ, and make the commitment to do everything in our power and capacity to see that children and vulnerable people are safe, are cared for in our communities.”

At one point, during his talk, his voice broke as he recalled the “memory of innocent suffering” and “the memory of our weakness and sinfulness.”

Tagle said there is a need that justice be served for the perpetrators of sexual abuse, for healing and at the same time the need for forgiveness.

“Justice is necessary, but by itself it does not heal the broken human heart. If we are to serve the victims and all those wounded by the crisis, we need to take seriously their wound of resentment and pain and the need for healing,” he said.

But he said that while forgiveness on the part of the victims of abuse, can help them heal, it is wrong to demand this as part of their healing.

“Yet before we even raise the issue of asking the victims to forgive as part of their healing, we must clarify that we are not suggesting that they should just let it all go, excuse the abuse and let it all go. No. Far from it,” Tagle said.

“We, as the church, should continue to walk with those profoundly wounded by abuse, building trust, providing unconditional love and repeatedly asking for forgiveness in the full recognition that we do not deserve that forgiveness in the order of justice, but can only receive it when it is bestowed as gift and grace in the process of healing,” the Manila Catholic archbishop said.

Tagle said that they are also concerned with reports that “bishops and religious superiors are tempted, perhaps even at times pressured to choose between victims and perpetrators.”

He said that the Catholic Church should “focus on both” – the victims of abuse and the perpetrators of abuse.

For victims of abuse, he said they can be helped by “expressing their deep hurts” and “to heal from them.”

He said that the Catholic Church should also help the priests who are guilty of sexual abuse, and look at their “own wounds.”

“Regarding the perpetrators, we need to serve justice, help them to face the truth without rationalization, and at the same time not neglect their inner world, their own wounds.”

In the end, Tagle has this question posed to the Catholic bishops all over the world who were called by the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis to attend the event:

“How can we renew the church by a firm correction of a definite wrong and walk with the abused patiently and repeatedly begging forgiveness knowing that giving such a gift will heal them even more?”

He said it was important for the Catholic Church to “look at and touch the wounds of victims, families, guilty and innocent clergy, the Church and socierty” and  go on a “mission of reconciliation.”

(Eagle News Service)