Church sex abuse scandal threatens to overshadow Pope’s Belgium tour

Some are excited about the Pope’s arrival

Some are excited about the Pope’s arrival, with tickets for the Holy Mass at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium on Sunday selling out within hours. Others are skeptical, accusing the Church of using the Pope’s trip to divert attention from a parliamentary inquiry currently investigating allegations against clergy members.

Leaders boycott meeting with the Pope

Leaders from the Christian-Democratic and Flemish party (CD&V), the social-democratic Forward party, the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) and the Greens announced Thursday they would not attend a meeting with the Pope in Leuven on Friday.

“I am extremely disappointed in how the Vatican has dealt with the problem of abuse in the church. I therefore prefer not to accept the invitation to meet the Pope,” said Sammy Mahdi, president of the CD&V.

“Talking to some of the victims is important. But far more important is to crack down on any form of abuse within the Church and thus avoid future victims. That is what the victims are really asking for,” said Conner Rousseau, leader of the Flemish party Vooruit, who is among those boycotting the Leuven meeting with the Pope.

‘They don’t sleep anymore’

But it’s victims of abuse who have been particularly wounded by the Pope’s visit, said Ibbe Daniëls, who together with Ingrid Schildermans produced the 2023 documentary Godforsaken.

“Every day now … the victims are calling me and Ingrid because they’re very nervous, they are anxious again, angry again. They’re going through a difficult time now,” Daniëls said. “It’s a very, very strange week.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article discusses the skepticism and disappointment towards the Church’s handling of abuse allegations against clergy members. This issue relates to the need for effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels, as emphasized in SDG 16.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Although not explicitly mentioned in the article, the issue of abuse within the Church often affects women and girls. SDG 5 aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, making it relevant to the discussion.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article mentions the victims of abuse who have been particularly affected by the Pope’s visit. This highlights the importance of promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, as targeted in SDG 10.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels

The article highlights the disappointment in how the Vatican has dealt with the problem of abuse in the Church. This indicates a need for the development of effective and accountable institutions within the Church to address and prevent abuse.

Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls

Although not explicitly mentioned in the article, the issue of abuse within the Church often affects women and girls. Target 5.2 aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, making it relevant to addressing the issue discussed.

Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all

The article mentions the victims of abuse who have been particularly affected by the Pope’s visit. This highlights the need to empower and promote the inclusion of these individuals, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are protected.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, indicators such as the number of reported abuse cases, the transparency of investigations, and the implementation of preventive measures could be relevant in measuring progress towards these targets.

Source: politico.eu