Accuser of the Swiss Bishops called for a new Council to respond to the abuse crisis

 "Our church must change"

The structure of the Catholic Church and the concentration of power among bishops are ultimately responsible for the abuse cases, he says. So says Nicolas Betticher, a priest from western Switzerland who was at the centre of power for years.

Father Nicolas Betticher in an interview. The structure of the Catholic Church and the concentration of power of the bishops are ultimately responsible for the cases of abuse. This is what Nicolas Betticher, a priest from Western Switzerland who was at the centre of power for years, says.

"Do cover-ups still happen today? My answer is: yes. It happens consciously or unconsciously," priest Nicolas Betticher.

Father Betticher, the Catholic Church's handling of sexual abuses can be compared to a house on fire. But those who could put out the fire, the bishops, stand aloof and hope that the fire will eventually go out by itself. 

This impression is not deceptive. But it is not only about the bishops, but about the entire structure of the Church, that is, all the way to the top, to the Holy Father. That is a reality. At the same time, it is a hot potato, and those in charge often do not know how to tackle it properly.

Are old white men here trying to maintain their power with all the means at their disposal?

Yes, you could say that. But I ask myself: why? Is power their lifeblood?

Catholic Church: Everything must now be put on the table!

Many cases of abuse are statute-barred under secular criminal law. Under canon law, the statute of limitations could be lifted in serious cases and perpetrators could still be sanctioned years later. What exactly stands in the way of this?

There is no obligation to apply for the lifting of the statute of limitations in an abuse case. But if a bishop does not do so, he is preventing the process of coming to terms with the case.

Is it always the bishop in charge who decides whether a case is to be dealt with or not?

Yes, because the bishop is the highest judge in the diocese. 

But he is also the administrator, employer ...

... and "spiritual father" and also the supreme legislator. He issues decrees and procedural decisions. He is at the same time the judiciary, the legislature and the executive.

Are the bishops aware that they wear so many different hats?

To be honest, when you become a bishop, you probably have a different idea of the office. You usually see the bishop at a confirmation, he comes for a blessing, he dedicates an altar, he discusses ethical issues on TV. But I am not sure that a new bishop is aware that he embodies all three powers so intensely. A bishop is very quickly caught up with reality. This concentration of power can be a moral overload.

How do the Swiss bishops deal with this power? 

Bishop Bernard Genoud, who consecrated me, died from these tasks. He was very emotional, very authentic. Whenever he heard something in the area of abuse of power and sexual abuse, it hurt him deeply. After all, he was the spiritual "father of this priest". He took such events very personally. In my perception, the abuse cases were the trigger for his cancer. Since 2007, when the first big cases became public, one case after the other came. Then he became ill and later died of cancer.

Did Bishop Genoud break down because of the abuse cases that became public?

Yes, he broke down because of it. If he had not been the supreme judge, he could have concentrated on what he did very well. Namely, being a pastoral shepherd, preacher, communicator. He could have handed over the abuse cases to a jurisdiction, an independent body of the universal Church. Then we would have had a completely different situation in the diocese. As an Offizial (an Offizial is the name given to the head of a Catholic ecclesiastical court; editor's note), I too could have done my actual work. That would have been much healthier for all of us, also for the credibility of the diocese. So it was always said that we were covering up. 

"Cover-ups happen consciously or unconsciously because people want to protect themselves, others or the Church. It happens because there is no one there to point out the consequences and implications."

NICOLAS BETTICHER

Is there still a cover-up today?

Yes, although many things happen unconsciously. For example, when it comes to a confrere with whom one may have attended the seminar together. You automatically protect a fellow brother rather than an alleged victim. People are then quick to say: "That can't be, the victim must have exaggerated". If a bishop judges it that way, it is unacceptable.

Such behaviour shows a frightening lack of empathy.

Yes, it is terrible for a victim. Your question was: Do cover-ups still happen today? My answer is: yes. It happens consciously or unconsciously, precisely because people want to protect themselves, others or the Church. It happens because there is no one to point out the consequences and repercussions. There should be an independent authority that can pronounce punishments. Then a bishop would also behave differently.

Does a victim find out when a bishop sanctions a perpetrator for a sexual assault?

No, not necessarily. A judgement is handed over to the offender as a written decree. It says, for example, that as of date X he is no longer in priestly service or has been removed from office or dismissed from clerical status. But this is not published anywhere. 

In Switzerland, judicial publicity is enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

That is a good comparison. The publication of judgements also has a preventive effect. In a constitutional state, this is a fundamental duty. In the Church, there is no such duty. 

So is the Church not a constitutional state?

No, the Church often sees itself as a divine state. But I object to that. The Church is not a divine state, but a state that uses divine law to consolidate its own power. I don't think Jesus was aiming for that structure. We have grown through Roman law. The bishops throughout history have mostly also been secular power holders. The separation of ecclesiastical and secular power is not that old, the process is still going on today. Perhaps the issue of sexual abuse is a way of continuing this separation process. Perhaps the Catholic Church is now coming to the conclusion that it needs to reform its structures. We have to ask ourselves: What is our foundation, what did Christ want? For this we need a Council.

"We have to come to terms with the abuses. But as long as church legislation is not adapted, this will not succeed."

NICOLAS BETTICHER

In the Diocese of Fribourg, the first serious cases of abuse became public around 2008. Why didn't you start dealing with them immediately?

On 3 January 2008, I received a telephone call from a French journalist. He reported that there were new cases in the case of the Capuchin priest Allaz. Already on 30 January we presented a contact point for victims of abuse, it couldn't have been quicker. But the ecclesiastical legal situation did not allow the commission we had set up to judge. The members of the commission were only allowed to investigate the cases and had to deliver a report to the bishop. The contact point we set up at that time worked very cleanly. Bishop Genoud's successor, Bishop Morerod, abolished this body and only after two years appointed a new diocesan contact point.

Contact points are not independent, it is unclear whether a Bishop passes judgement, and no one hears when a priest is sanctioned. This is an untenable situation. Does the Catholic Church not want to deal with the abuses at all?

We have to deal with the abuses. But as long as the ecclesiastical legislation is not adapted, this will not succeed. Only one person can change the legislation: the Pope. In Rome, however, they see the urgency differently. I don't understand that. Of course, if the Pope decides something, it has to be applied all over the world. And that comes across differently in Africa or India. But one could formulate it in such a way that in Europe there is a different attitude regarding a separate, independent judiciary. For example, one could introduce an independent court for the European Bishops' Conferences. How that would be implemented would have to be defined by the bishops' conferences themselves. That would be a huge step. For example, one could set up five courts in Europe where each Bishops' conference could file its cases. These courts would be independent. Rome would be the Court of Appeal. But that would require a revision of the law. 

In your book you describe the situation in the Catholic Church as a "prison of fear". Do you mean the inactivity of the Church?

Yes, it is the fear that the burning house will suddenly crumble completely. That is a legitimate fear and a psychological reality. But it is not a spiritual fear. Because we can never completely destroy the house, because it doesn't belong to us. (He points to the crucifix on the wall.) He, the Saviour, carries this house and will always protect it. If it belonged to us, we wouldn't have a house anymore. That is the best proof that God exists.

But the house is always getting a little emptier?

That is a different reality. But the Pope says that's not true. Worldwide, the number of Catholics has increased from 1.3 to 1.4 billion people. From that point of view, we are doing wonderfully. Or we bear responsibility for Europe and do everything we can to ensure that the churches do not empty out. But this requires credibility in the actions of the Church.

A pilot study is currently underway in Switzerland to come to terms with the abuses. What do you expect from this study?

That it will become clear where the information gaps are, where the problems lie and what the reasons are. Then the bishops will have to act. The Pope himself said that if media could help to find the truth, he thanked them. Actually, it is unsatisfactory, even shocking, that the Pope has to say that. He could simply change the legislation. But he doesn't.

Why has so little changed in the Catholic Church after 20 years of debate about sexual abuse?

The lack of separation of powers, the omnipotence of the hierarchy and the unchecked centralism are no match for abuses. Our Church must change.

Source

Cathcon: So it is all too clear what the agenda is.  Instrumentalise the abuse crisis.  Time for less synod in secret session and more public penance!