Pressure on Cardinal Danneels not to attend Conclave

The representatives of the victims of the paedophile priests "do not want him not to go"

Father Rik Devillé, head of the group "Human Rights in the Church" wants to prevent the Cardinal Godfried Danneels from participating in the next conclave. "It would be morally inappropriate given everything we know about how the Cardinal was silent for years about sexual abuse by his priests! And then there is always an ongoing investigation for culpable negligence by absence or non-assistance to people in danger. "

Judgment falls like a guillotine blade from the former parish priest who never ceases to settle accounts with his institution, and he is obviously inspired by the campaign against the presence of American cardinal Roger Mahony in the conclave who faces strong critcism on both sides of the Atlantic.

But comparison is not right: the former Archbishop of Los Angeles relieved by his successor Msgr Gomez and can not speak or act in the American Church. He is called to the conclave, because he is not yet 80 years old because the Pope has not (yet) been led to the logical conclusion to deprive him of his title of cardinal. A heavy decision , so heavy that there is only one precedent: Cardinal Louis Billot, who could not accept the condemnation by the Church of Action française and Charles Maurras.

Rik Devillé however did not budge: he suggests that the successor Godfried Danneels, Archbishop Léonard, should follow his fellow Californian, and also remove the cardinal. No question of starting a petition here, but " Mensenrechten Kerk" will contact directly parishes and local communities in the coming days.

What do the top of the Church think of this? Spokesman for the Bishops' Conference, Fr Tommy Scholtes SJ has no doubt that Cardinal Danneels will go to Rome and will have the rest next week to farewell the current pope. "It is a duty for him, especially as this is an important vote for the universal Church as it is for Belgium. I will go further: if there was no real reason, the conclave could be invalidated! Finally, Rik Devillé is aware that there is the presumption of innocence. "

The controversy arises at the moment of the publication of the first report of the Arbitration Center of Parliament and the Belgian Church. Finally, 621 victims of clerical abuse have made a request for compensation. So far, 67 cases have been treated, resulting in damages of 303,000 euros. The Church will pay finally about 2.5 to 3 million euros. So far, it has paid compensation of 5000 euros relating to 48 "lighter" cases and larger amounts for 19 "serious" cases.

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