Spanish church holds ceremony for victims of clergy sexual abuse | – #Spanish #church #holds #ceremony #victims #clergy #sexual #abuse

BILBAO, March 24 (Reuters) – Bilbao Cathedral in northern Spain held a mass on Friday to recognize and apologize to victims of sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic Church in the diocese, one of the first services of its kind in Spain.

Spain is grappling with cases of sexual abuse after El Pais newspaper reported in December 2021 more than 1,200 cases of abuse by clergy over seven decades.

Rape victim Rev. Josu Lopez Villalba joined other victims at Friday’s service.

“The movement was deep and silent. No need for words, the people who are there know why they are there,” Lopez told Reuters.

“We child we didn’t understand. Then you understand. It was necessary for the church and the victims.”

other sacrifice Joseba Imanol Ibarra said that such a mass was not held in other regions of Spain.

“We were lucky that it happened in this diocese. If it happened in Valladolid, Madrid or somewhere else, they wouldn’t listen to us,” he told Reuters after the service.

Bishop Joseba Segura of Bilbao recognized the abuses committed by priests in the Basque Country in northern Spain and asked for forgiveness.

“We want to share with them and listen to them,” he told the crowd.

Some victims placed candles on the altar during the service and placed a plaque on the cathedral wall that read: “In memory of all victims of sexual abuse in our church.”

Spain’s parliament has ordered the country’s ombudsman to investigate sexual abuse by members of the Spanish Catholic Church.

Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo said in a statement on September 13 that his office had assisted 201 victims, mostly men, in the first two months of the investigation, and their results would be presented to parliament.

Reporting by Graham Keeley and Vincent West; Edited by Josie Kao

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2023-03-25 01:49:34
Source – reuters

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