Belgian bishops to compensate abuse victims
May 31, 2011
Heeding the recommendations of a parliamentary commission, Belgian bishops and religious superiors have agreed to offer compensation to abuse victims.
“The bishops and religious leaders are unanimous and steadfast to do all possible to make sure such serious facts, which society rightly deplores, never happen again,” the episcopal conference and religious superiors said in a statement. “Recognizing their moral responsibility and the expectations of society, the bishops and religious leaders pledge to ensure recognition of the victims and adopt measures to heal their suffering.”
“We can only do what we can do, and for those claiming the maximum, it will never be enough,” added Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp. “What we can do is a symbolic gesture which can help in the more dramatic cases.”
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Further information:
- Belgian Church Will Pay Victims of Sexual Abuse (New York Times)
- Belgium Catholic Church vows to compensate abuse victims (AFP)
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