The Philippine bishops advocate the Cardinal after criticism that the Church in the Philippines fails to combat sexual abuse by clergy.
The Conference of Catholic Bishops Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday unusually published a statement of sexual abuse by clergy, defending Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. The Bishopacountability.org monitoring group warned on Friday that two leading candidates for the Pope, Tagle and Italian Cardinal Pietra Parolin cannot be relied up on the protection of children and the fight against sexual abuse spiritual. TASR informs this based on the AFP report.
According to the director of the Bishopacountability.org portal Anne Barrett Doyle, the Church remains in the Philippines with the help of Tagle in the “Dark Age”. Doyle claims that neither the Archdiocese nor CBCP websites have been published on cases of sexual abuse. “If Cardinal Tagle is unable to persuade his bishops from their own country to issue guidelines to these cases, what can we expect to reach as a pope of the Church?” Asks Doyle.
Tagle has no jurisdiction since appointment
The Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Philippines in Saturday claims that “a solution to accusations of inappropriate clergy behavior is in the competence of diocesan bishops or higher religious officials” and not Tagle. “Since his appointment to office in the Roman Curia, the Cardinal Tagle has not had direct jurisdiction at any diocese in the Philippines,” the statement says.
In addition, the statement, moreover, has played an important role in drawing up the guidelines of sexual abuse in 2003. However, AFP claims that the cited document on the website cannot be accessed. Doyl was even sharper to the Italian Cardinal Pietr Parolin, whom she described as “secretary” and said that in the event of his success “will be” any hope for transparency of the Church in the field of sexual abuse completely “.
Both cardinals are among the favorites on the new Pope. This will be chosen by a total of 133 cardinals-invgers under the 80s during the Conclave, which will begin on May 7.
