Belgian PM demands 'concrete steps' over Catholic sex abuse
September 27, 2024
Pope Francis is in Belgium after revelations of abuse and cover-ups have damaged the Vatican's credibility. Both Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and King Philippe urged the pontiff and the Catholic Church to do more.
Outgoing Prime Minister De Croo's speech was one of the more pointed ever directed at the Pope during a foreign tripImage: Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM/picture alliance
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Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Friday criticized Pope Francis for the Catholic Church's history of sex abuse and cover-ups as the pontiff began a three-day visit to the country.
De Croo demanded "concrete steps" from the Catholic Church over coming clean with the past and put victims' interests ahead those within the institution.
The speech by De Croo was one of the most pointed ever directed at the Pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keeps expressions of outrage out of public discourse.
King Philippe also had strong words for Francis, demanding the Church work "incessantly" to atone for the crimes.
The scandal is particularly raw in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have damaged the Church's credibility.
A four-episode Flemish language documentary, "Godvergeten" (Godforsaken) aired last year on public broadcaster VRT, bringing fresh momentum to the longstanding and well documented history of abuse and prompting many new victims to come forward.
Belgian leaders offered a rather rare public rebuke as the pontiff visitedImage: Yves Herman/REUTERS
Words not enough, says De Croo
"Today, words alone do not suffice. We also need concrete steps," De Croo said. "Victims need to be heard. They need to be at the center. They have a right to truth. Misdeeds need to be recognized," he said in front of an audience of royals, church officials, diplomats and politicians at Laeken Castle, the royal residency.
"When something goes wrong we cannot accept cover-ups," he said. "To be able to look into the future, the Church needs to come clean on its past."
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Pope Francis, who applauded at the end of De Croo's speech, said that the Catholic Church must "seek forgiveness" over the "scourge" of child sexual abuse.
In a speech that marked the beginning of his three-day visit to Belgium, Francis denounced the "tragic instances of child abuse."
Pope recognizes 'shame and humiliation'
"It is our shame and our humiliation," the 87-year-old pontiff told the gathering at Belgium's royal residence in Brussels, Laeken Castle. "The Church must be ashamed and must seek forgiveness."
Later on Friday, Francis was scheduled to meet a group of clerical sexual assault victims in Brussels. The meeting was set to take place at the Vatican's diplomatic mission and would be conducted with the "utmost discretion," according to the Belgian church.
8 films portraying Catholic Church sex abuse
"By the Grace of God," premiering in Berlin, depicts the Church's attempted cover-up of a sex abuse scandal. Such cases have long been explored by feature films. Here are a few memorable works.
Image: Jean-Claude Moireau
'By the Grace of God' (2019)
Francois Ozon's Berlinale entry focuses on the true story of a group of sex abuse victims who've formed an association to break the silence, years after they were molested by a priest in Lyon. The father's widespread abuse was known by his diocese's cardinal and even the Vatican. The actual Cardinal Barbarin, who attempted to cover up the case, is now on trial and could end up in prison.
Image: Jean-Claude Moireau
'Spotlight' (2016)
Based on a true story, this biographical drama directed by Tom McCarthy follows a team of reporters from "The Boston Globe" as they uncover systemic child sex abuse by Catholic priests in their city. "Spotlight" garnered six Oscar nominations and won for best picture and best screenplay. The actual investigation also earned a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.
Dark images, silhouetted actors shown out of focus: It's the cinematography of a horror film. Chilean director Pablo Larrain tackled an explosive topic in "The Club," in which four retired Catholic priests live in a secluded house and there "purge" horrible crimes, including child sex abuse. Larrain was inspired by true stories of high-level priests who live in hiding to avoid criminal charges.
Image: Fabula
'Verfehlung' (2015)
The German film "Verfehlung" (Misconduct) by Gerd Schneider depicts how the friendship of three priests is affected by a sex abuse scandal. One of them is accused of molesting teenage boys, and the two others react to their friend's situation in different ways. The way they deal with the truth could impact not only their relationship, but also their career in the ranks of the Church.
Image: Camino-Filmverleih
'Philomena' (2013)
With "Philomena," Stephen Frears deals with another aspect of the Church's institutional abuse: women who were forcibly separated from their children born out of wedlock. The film is based on the true story of Philomena Lee, whose son was taken away by the nuns at the convent where she was forced to work and sold to wealthy Americans. Actress Judi Dench portrayed the older Philomena.
Image: Imago/Zuma Press
'Bad Education' (2004)
While Pedro Almodovar's drama "Bad Education" is a stylized murder mystery playing on different levels of metafiction, it also tells the story of a young boy being molested by a Catholic priest in his boarding school. Ignacio, the abused child, is later a transgender woman who confronts the abusive father and blackmails him.
Image: Imago/United Archives
'The Magdalene Sisters' (2002)
The Magdalene Asylums, also known as Magdalene laundries, were Catholic Church institutions that served as a reformatory for women labelled as "fallen." Peter Mullan's 2002 drama portrays one such home, telling the story of four young women who were sent there by their families, or caretakers, and who faced extreme cruelty and abuse by nuns. The last such institution closed in 1996.
Image: picture-alliance/United Archives/Impress
'Primal Fear' (1996)
A 19-year-old altar boy (Edward Norton, in his Oscar-nominated film debut) is accused of brutally murdering an influential Catholic Archbishop. An ambitious defense lawyer (Richard Gere) takes on his case. In the course of the trial, it is revealed that the beloved archbishop had abusive tendencies and had forced altar boys into sex.
