CBCP head bows in shame, begs for forgiveness over sexual abuses

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines president last Saturday, again, asked for forgiveness for the Church pastors' abuses, especially sexual molestation against children.

Asked about the abuses, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles before delegates to the National Youth Day 2019 forum held in Cebu City said: "We bow in shame, we beg for forgiveness."

"We continue to say: We are so sorry and beg for forgiveness from the Lord and from those this hurt and wrongdoing has been done."

Also, he said that the Catholic Church in the Philippines has been making  steps to address abuses of some pastors, who should be made accountable for their wrongdoing.

"We are all committed and do all that we can that's a broad statement to stop this. There are procedures on what to do ... to bring justice to all," he added.

Canon Lawyer of the Diocese of San Jose Nueva Evija Father Getty Ferrer said that litigation of cases involving priests is done through a tribunal headed by the bishop or an appointed expert in Church law.

Pope Francis, on the other hand,  moved that bishops who fail to resolve cases of abuses in  their diocese could be punished.

Thus, "Do not be afraid, young people do not be afraid, go to your Bishops, go to your priests and be open and unburden your hurting situation. I am sure that they would listen to you, we are ready to ask for your forgiveness because in this forgiveness is the power of healing, grace coming from the Lord ," Valles said.

In last February's Summit on Sexual Abuse in the Vatican, the concern on abuses against minors was discussed.

Among the first to be punished by the Vatican over sexual abuse were US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Australian Cardinal George Pell. —LBG, GMA News