Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Fernández claims fighting abuse remains a priority. Gives many interviews, silent on Rupnik

Victims' Associations had criticised division of work in the Dicastery

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández heads the Dicastery of Faith as prefect, but he does not want to interfere in the work of the disciplinary section of his office. Victims' associations have criticized this because cases of abuse are handled there.

The Prefect of the Dicastery of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, continues to attach great importance to the fight against abuse in his office. "Without a doubt, the fight against child abuse continues on a large scale, not only in the development of a zero-tolerance attitude, but also because I believe that we have to make much progress in the area of prevention," Fernández told the Spanish Internet portal "Religión Digital " on Monday. The Prefect of the Faith also called for more space to be given to this topic in priestly training and to provide better support for clergy in their first years of work.

The dicastery's disciplinary section responsible for cases of abuse has well-trained professionals who do not show any leniency towards perpetrators, Fernández continued. Some critics even described the Vatican authorities' actions against priests as "too harsh." He accompanies her work and is regularly informed, but does not interfere. As a theologian, this is what he is required to do on this issue of canon law. "I am providing them with what they need and, in fact, the disciplinary section will continue to have many more staff than the religious section." Fernández promised to work more closely with the Papal Child Protection Commission in the future in order to anchor abuse prevention more firmly in the church.

According to "Religión Digital", the reason for Fernández's statements was the publication of a document by the Dicastery of Faith, which shows that the prefect is not involved in the disciplinary section's dealings with cases of abuse by priests. Victims' associations had criticized this approach as weakening the church's ability to deal with abuse, according to the Spanish online medium. The Italian church news website "Il Sismografo" also pointed out that the prefect of the faith did not address the case of the alleged abuser Marko Rupnik in his remarks. Fernández's silence shows that the Vatican does not want the Slovenian priest and his actions to be discussed. This is remarkable, as the Prefect of the Faith has shown himself to be very talkative in recent months and has given dozens of interviews, criticized Il Sismografo. Rupnik was a Jesuit and is a well-known sacred artist. He is said to have abused adult women.

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Read all about Tucho's shocking record on abuse cases.  Not zero tolerance rather a terrible division between rhetoric and reality.