Belgian bishops reluctantly accept resignations from sex-abuse investigating committee

July 01, 2010

The Belgian bishops have accepted the resignations of the independent commission that had been investigating sex-abuse complaints, acknowledging that last week’s police raid on the commission’s files made it impossible to continue the work.

Bishop Guy Harpigny of Tournai, writing on behalf of the Belgian bishops, said that he was “filled with sadness” by the resignations of Peter Adriaenssens, the chairman of the commission, and all his fellow members. However, he said, he recognized the reasons for their actions.

Bishop Harpigny’s statement emphasized that the Adriaenssens commission had been completely independent from the episcopal conference, and was working enegetically to investigate sex-abuse complaints until the time of the police raid.

The statement said that “the bishops do not deny the right of justice officials to conduct a search,” but “regretted how it was done.” In particular, the statement decried the seizure of the confidential files, which made it impossible for the commission “to continue its difficult but healing mission.”

Bishop Harpigny closed his statement with a call for “constructive dialogue with competent authorities,” to see whether the investigation of sex-abuse complaints could be resumed without violating the victims’ privacy.

 

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Further information:

• Démission de la Commission pour le traitement des plaintes pour abus sexuels dans une relation pastorale – déclaration de Mgr Harpigny (Belgian bishops' conference)