Page Description
Letter to the Pope:
A formal communication addressing important matters, seeking guidance, or expressing concerns to the leader of the Catholic Church.
1. Role and Title
- Head of the Catholic Church: The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the Bishop of Rome.
- Vicar of Christ: The Pope is considered the earthly representative of Jesus Christ.
2. Election and Appointment
- Election Process: The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals during a conclave held after the death or resignation of a previous Pope.
- Lifetime Appointment: Traditionally, the Pope serves for life, although resignation is possible (as seen with Pope Benedict XVI).
3. Responsibilities
- Spiritual Leadership: Provides spiritual guidance to Catholics worldwide and oversees church doctrines and practices.
- Administrative Duties: Manages the Vatican City State and the administration of the global Church.
- Ecumenical Relations: Engages in dialogues with other Christian denominations and religions to promote unity and understanding.
4. Vatican City
- Sovereign State: The Pope is also the sovereign of Vatican City, an independent city-state entirely surrounded by Rome, Italy.
- Headquarters: The Vatican serves as the administrative and spiritual center of the Catholic Church.
5. Papacy and Tradition
- Historical Continuity: The Pope is seen as the successor to Saint Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles, and the first Pope.
- Traditions and Ceremonies: The papacy is rich with traditions, including ceremonial robes, the papal tiara, and various rituals and ceremonies.
6. Influence and Outreach
- Global Influence: The Pope has significant influence both within the Church and in the wider world, addressing issues such as social justice, peace, and morality.
- Public Appearances: Engages with the public through speeches, homilies, and international visits, often addressing global and social issues.
7. Papal Documents
- Encyclicals and Apostolic Letters: The Pope issues documents that provide guidance on faith and morals, such as encyclicals, apostolic letters, and exhortations.
8. Papal Teachings
- Doctrinal Authority: The Pope has the authority to define and interpret doctrines of the Catholic faith, and his teachings are considered authoritative.
9. Contemporary Issues
- Modern Challenges: The Pope addresses contemporary issues, including those related to human rights, social justice, and interfaith relations.
Understanding these key points provides insight into the role, responsibilities, and significance of the Pope within the Catholic Church and the global context.
Letter to the Pope
Translation of the text on the back cover of the small book ‘Brief aan de paus’:
‘I need to tell you something, but powerlessness and especially shame hold me back. Doubt and fear also play tricks on me.
It is as if I am only now gaining possession of a piece of my memories and want to share it with you. Strange after so many years.’
Mark Vangheluwe decided to fight and break the silence after years of abuse by his ‘uncle bishop’. In 2010, with the announcement of one of the biggest scandals within the Roman Catholic Church, he unleashed a media storm that made headlines worldwide.
Meanwhile, he and his family lead a quiet life in a remote corner of Flanders, but shame and fear continue to haunt him. Until the moment he realises that he can decide on his own life, and finds the form and words to do so: a letter to the Pope.
I was forced into things that were not in my nature. As a result, I grew differently, developed differently, became different.
This is how I feel. Deformed.
I have been forced into too much. Far too much.’
Brief aan de paus
‘Ik moet je iets vertellen, maar onmacht en vooral schaamte houden me tegen. Ook twijfel en angst spelen me parten.
Het is alsof ik nu pas bezit krijg over een stuk van mijn herinneringen en dit met jou wil delen. Vreemd na zoveel jaren.’
Mark Vangheluwe besloot na jarenlang misbruik door zijn ‘nonkel bisschop’ het gevecht aan te gaan en het zwijgen te doorbreken. In 2010 ontketende hij met de bekendmaking van een van de grootste schandalen binnen de rooms-katholieke kerk een mediastorm die wereldwijd de pers haalde.
Ondertussen leidt hij met zijn gezin een rustig bestaan in een uithoek van Vlaanderen, maar schaamte en angst blijven hem parten spelen. Tot het moment dat hij tot het inzicht komt dat hij over zijn eigen leven kan beslissen, en daarvoor de vorm en de woorden vindt: een brief aan de paus.
Ik werd gedwongen tot zaken die niet in mijn aard liggen. Daardoor ben ik anders gegroeid, anders ontwikkeld, anders geworden.
Zo voel ik me. Misvormd.
Ik ben tot te veel gedwongen geweest. Veel te veel.’
After years of being abused by his ‘nonkel bishop’, the author broke the silence in 2010, unleashing one of the biggest scandals within the Roman Catholic Church; in the form of a letter to the pope, he writes off the events.
Subject: Roman Catholic Church and sexual violence, Sexual violence by clergy
Brief aan de paus
Mark Vangheluwe (auteur)
Na jarenlang misbruikt te zijn door zijn ‘nonkel bisschop’ doorbrak de auteur in 2010 het stilzwijgen en ontketende hiermee een van de grootste schandalen binnen de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk; in de vorm van een brief aan de paus schrijft hij de gebeurtenissen van zich af.
Onderwerp: Rooms-Katholieke Kerk en seksueel geweld, Seksueel geweld door geestelijken
Uitgever: De Bezige Bij, 2017
Rik Devillé en Rik Torfs blikken vooruit op het bezoek van de paus
Paus veroordeelt seksueel misbruik in de kerk
Pope Francis meets clergy abuse survivors in Belgium | ABS-CBN News
28 sep 2024
The Catholic Church’s failures in responding to clergy sexual abuse have been in the spotlight again during Pope Francis’ visit this weekend to Belgium, with the pontiff being pressed for more concrete actions to address the issue by the country’s king, its premier and a Catholic university rector.
And in a two-hour encounter that went into the early evening on Friday (September 27), the 87-year-old pontiff was pushed directly by abuse survivors themselves.
Meeting with 17 individuals, who were abused by Catholic clergy, at the Vatican’s embassy in Brussels, Francis was asked especially to provide better financial compensation for victims.
“We didn’t talk about amounts as such, but we are very clear on the fact … that what has been achieved and obtained so far is totally insufficient,” said Anne-Sophie Cardinal, one of the survivors in the meeting.
Cardinal, abused as a child, spoke emotionally about the encounter, calling it “very challenging.” She said the survivors felt a responsibility “also to speak on behalf of all the people who couldn’t meet him.”
Jean-Marc Turine, another survivor who took part, expressed frustration. He said Francis “beat around the bush” and didn’t offer concrete actions.
“He asks for forgiveness, he says he is ashamed and that it hurts his heart,” Turine said. “Well, that doesn’t help us much.”
The Vatican did not provide many details about Francis’ meeting. In a brief statement, it said the pontiff had listened to the Belgian victims and “expressed shame for what they suffered as children.”
Belgian clergy abuse victims have received financial compensation through a Church-established mediation body following a 2010 investigation that uncovered widespread abuse over decades.
In total, the Arbitration Centre upheld 507 claims from victims of priests, awarding a total of three million euros ($3.4 million), Herman Verbist, a former member of the Centre’s scientific committee told Parliament in 2016.
Settlements ranged from 2,500 euros ($2,800) to 25,000 euros ($28,000) depending on the severity of the abuse, but many survivors argue the compensation was inadequate and the process lacked transparency. – report from Reuters
(Production: Marta Fiorin)
Is Pope Francis addressing the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal? | Compass | ABC Australia
28 sep 2024
At 87, and despite serious illness, Pope Francis has just toured South East Asia.
Known as a disruptor for his commitment to the marginalised, his efforts have faced challenges from conservative forces.
But is Pope Francis doing enough to address the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal?
Geraldine Doogue explores the Pope’s legacy.
The world’s longest-serving death row prisoner has been acquitted
29 sep 2024
Here’s what the Pope touched on during the press conference on his flight back from Belgium.
‘The Church very good at aggressively protecting its own when accused of truly horrendous crimes’
Belgium’s prime minister on Friday blasted Pope Francis to his face for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups in his country, demanding “concrete steps” to come clean with the past and put victims’ interests over those of the church. Alexander De Croo’s blistering welcome speech at the start of Francis’ visit was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keep outrage out of public remarks. But even King Philippe had strong words for Francis, demanding the church work “incessantly” to atone for the crimes and help victims heal. Their tone underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have devastated the hierarchy’s credibility and contributed to an overall decline in Catholicism and the influence of the once-powerful church. Francis applauded at the end of De Croo’s speech and was expected to meet with victims in private later Friday. “This is our shame and humiliation,” he said in an improvised response. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24’s Mark Owen is joined by Marc Artzrouni, European Coordinator for SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).
LIVE | Pope Francis in Belgium | Meeting with University Professors | September, 27th 2024
“Do not cover up abuses”: Pope Francis urges action in Belgium
After the Mass, Pope Francis announced that he would launch the process of beatification of King Baudouin, a Catholic monarch who chose to be temporarily abdicated instead of sign a law that legalized abortion.
Victims of clerical sex abuse demand justice on pope’s visit to Belgium • FRANCE 24 English
27 sep 2024
Pope Francis was set to meet Belgian victims of sexual abuse by clergymen on Friday as part of a three-day visit to the country – the first by a pontiff in almost 30 years. FRANCE 24’s Alix Le Bourdon and Dave Keating spoke to two of the victims of abuse, only one of whom was granted an audience with the head of the Catholic Church.
Sexual abuse and “forced adoptions”: Pope addresses Church’s scars in Belgium
The Pope’s address included nearly two minutes of speaking off-script about sexual abuse in the Church, where, in Belgium, more than 700 reports of abuse have been filed since 2012.
Belgium’s appalling abuse legacy clouds pope’s trip as survivors pen letter seeking reparations
26 sep 2024
Belgium’s appalling abuse legacy clouds pope’s trip as survivors pen letter seeking reparations _ The Flash Reporter
$323 Million Settlement: Sex Abuse in the Church | Vantage with Palki Sharma
27 sep 2024 #vantageonfirstpost #palkisharma #firstpost
$323 Million Settlement: Sex Abuse in the Church | Vantage with Palki Sharma
The Catholic Church continues to struggle with sex abuse scandals. A Catholic diocese in New York will pay more than $323 million in a settlement with about 530 sex abuse survivors. This historic case hangs over the Pope during his visit to Belgium. The Belgian Prime Minister and King have blasted the Catholic Church over the sex abuse scandals.
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New York | Pope Francis | Belgium | Church | Sex Abuse | Firstpost | World News | News Live | Vantage | Palki Sharma | News
Wanneer stapt de Paus op? | Margriet van der Linden
1 Hevige emoties bij slachtoffers na reactie van de Kerk op “Godvergeten”
2 Godvergeten: wat was de rol van de kerk en van justitie?
4 Een Christen (Bisschop Johan Bonny) en een Atheïst in Gesprek
5 Kardinaal Danneels en de slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik
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6 Valerie Van Peel: ‘Kindermisbruik is niet enkel iets uit het verleden’
7 Excuses Broeders van Liefde na seksueel misbruik
15 mrt 2010
Excuses aanbieden, dat is het enige dat regionaal overste Ton van Heugten van de Broeders van Liefde nog kan doen. In de stroom van bekentenissen over seksueel misbruik binnen de katholieke kerk is ook jongensinternaat Eikenburg in Eindhoven veelvuldig genoemd.
Dat internaat stond onder leiding van de Broeders van Liefde. Eikenburg was een internaat voor jongens met een school voor lager onderwijs en een broederopleiding. Nu wonen er alleen gepensioneerde paters.
Verslaggever Erik Peeters had een gesprek met Ton van Heugten over het misbruik.
8 ‘Niemand zal je geloven’ – Misbruik Meisjes in de Katholieke Kerk – Joke
8 sep 2016
‘Niemand zal je geloven’ – Misbruik Meisjes in de Katholieke Kerk – Joke
Fragmenten uit interviews (6) die in 2015-2016 afgenomen zijn in het onderzoek naar misbruik en mishandeling van meisjes in instituten van de katholieke kerk in Nederland sinds 1940.
Het project werd geïnitieerd door het Vrouwen Platform Kerkelijk Kindermisbruik en uitgevoerd met een subsidie van het Ministerie voor Veiligheid en Justitie. Onderzoek Kim Oskam, interviews Josien Pieterse, camera Jet Homoet.
De interviews Misbruik Meisjes in de Rooms Katholieke Kerk zijn opgenomen in de Collectie IAV – Atria, kennisinstituut voor emancipatie en vrouwengeschiedenis https://www.atria.nl/search/collectie…
8 Pope Francis and the gentle revolution | DW Documentary
17 dec. 2021
9 Uncovered Abuse in the Catholic Church. Why Was it Ignored? | ‘Almost Famous’ by Op-Docs
27 aug. 2021
11 sep. 2010
Sep 11, 2010, AFP. No congregation escaped Belgian sex abuse. “It’s the Church’s Dutroux,” referring to mid-1990s trauma in Belgium + arrest of serial rapist / child killer Marc Dutroux, serving life for six rapes and four murders. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/20…
Sept 10, 2010. Paedophilia expert unveils harrowing testimony and documents cases in almost every diocese. Some of the most damning evidence of systematic child abuse by the Roman Catholic clergy to come to light was unveiled today by Belgium’s leading authority on paedophilia, who published hundreds of pages of harrowing victim testimony detailing their traumas and suffering.
The explosive report by Peter Adriaenssens in the town of Louvain, east of Brussels, lists evidence of 476 instances of child abuse by priests and bishops going back 50 years.
Adriaenssens was appointed by the church last year to head an independent inquiry into the scandal. Since April, when Roger Vangheluwe, the bishop of Bruges, resigned after admitting persistently molesting a nephew, the Adriaenssens commission has been inundated with evidence, with hundreds of victims coming forward.
He has since documented cases of abuse occurring in almost every diocese in the country and in virtually every school run by the church. “We can say that no part of the country escapes sexual abuse of minors by one or several [church] members,” said Adriaenssens.
“This is the church’s Dutroux dossier,” he added in reference to the notorious Belgian paedophile serial killer, Marc Dutroux, who kidnapped, tortured, abused and murdered six girls in 1995-6.
Speaking of the victims, Adriaenssens said that 13 had killed themselves, according to relatives, and another six had attempted suicide.
The 200-page report includes copious anonymous testimony from 124 of the victims “to honour their courage” in coming forward.
“There are days when I thank God for having the chance to speak,” testified one woman. “Four years of psychotherapy have taught me that silence kills. I have had enormous depressions, going as far as attempted suicide. At other times I think it would be wise to let sleeping dogs lie. But in the end I’ve chosen to speak … Since the resignation of the bishop of Bruges, I am living again in anxiety and fear. And I am far away. I’ve chosen to live far from my country, hoping that the past won’t rejoin me.” This testimony was from a woman abused in the 1980s, but most of the cases concerned young boys and teenagers, as well a documented case of a two-year-old boy being molested.
Another victim told of being repeatedly sexually molested by his parish priest for five years from the age of seven. “From being a violated child, I myself became, several years later, an abuser of adolescents and was sentenced to eight years in jail of which I served four and a half … The priest’s violations certainly strongly shaped my sexual identity and influenced my life choices.”
The evidence presented, said the daily newspaper Le Soir, was of “immense persistent suffering which neither the church, justice, nor society have been able to assuage … Adriaenssens has done what everyone else declined to do — listen to the victims, understand them, and give them the place they deserve.”
The abuse went back to the 1950s, was most common in the 60s and was tailing off by the 1980s, Adriaenssens said. Most of the victims were now middle-aged, but remained traumatised. Around half of the abusers had died.
The expert unveiled his report today because yesterday a Belgian court ruled that the material, seized by police in a highly controversial raid in June, was inadmissible in court because of the “disproportionate” police action and ordered it returned. In June they seized the commission’s files, raided the headquarters of the Belgian Catholic church, held cardinals and bishops for several hours, took their mobile phones, and carried away computers and documents.
They questioned Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who retired as head of the Belgian church and archbishop of Brussels in January. 2 weeks ago Belgian newspapers published tape recordings of Danneels seeking to hush up the case of Vangheluwe, the Bruges bishop. Vangheluwe’s nephew secretly recorded Danneels pressing him to keep quiet about his uncle at least until he retired next year. “I don’t think you’d do yourself or him a favour by shouting this from the rooftops,” the cardinal warned the victim, who replied angrily that his uncle had abused him for 13 years from the age of five. The recordings were made in April; the bishop resigned 2 weeks later, the most senior clergyman in the Catholic church to have quit after being exposed. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/…
9.10.2010. Sexual abuse of children reached all parts of Belgium’s Roman Catholic Church + drove at least 13 victims to kill themselves. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/11/wor…
12 Kardinaal Simonis: “wir haben es nicht gewusst.”
24 mrt. 2010
14 Sexual abuse and rape can be the making, not the breaking of you | Lydia Ward | TEDxLeamingtonSpa
27 feb. 2017
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and a member on the Board of Trustees and an Ambassador for the charity Safeline.Org, Lydia hopes this emotional account of her personal journey can help to empower fellow survivors.
Lydia is the founder of Velvet Evolution, a marketer and a psychologist with particular expertise in assessing communication styles and building emotional resilience. Her 15-year global business career includes high profile roles in the food and health & beauty industries. As a confidence coach and mindfulness teacher, she helps clients define success, identify their stress triggers and execute a mindful plan for change.
Lydia is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and is now a supporter of Safeline.Org as a member on the Board of Trustees and an Ambassador for the charity. A recently approved foster carer, she acts on stage at The Priory Theatre Kenilworth in her spare time. Confidence is the belief “I can do this”. Lydia embraces this value in every aspect of her life; she wants to empower survivors and others to do and feel the same – each and every day.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
15 Roman Catholic church acknowledges sexual abuse by clergy, promises action
28 jul. 2015
1. Wide of Belgian Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard arriving for news conference
2. Leonard sitting down
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels
“Last Friday, Professor Adriaenssens published a certain number of victim stories. These stories, and the suffering they contain, are frightening. They bring us face to face with what never, never should have happened. They deserve our most profound listening and the greatest attention to this human drama which has occurred.”
4. Cutaway
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels
“Personal attention for the victims is the first thing we have to re-establish. In the wake of Professor Adriaennsens’ report, we want to get involved and be completely at the disposal of the victims. We have to listen to their questions in order to re-establish their dignity and to help them heal the suffering they must have endured.”
6. Cutaway camera
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels
“In his report, Professor Adriaenssens has drawn different conclusions from the commission’s work. He expresses heavy objections about the past approach to the abuse problem as much in the Catholic church as in society. He expresses propositions to improve that approach. We want to draw lessons from the mistakes of the past.”
8. Close up photos of victims
9. Two victims holding photos of themselves when they were children while talking to media
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara Blaine, President of SNAP (The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests)
++soundbite begins on close up of photo of victim as a child, tilt up++
“The priest started to abuse me when I was turning thirteen and I was so frightened and I didn’t understand. I mean, it was really painful and confusing and heart-breaking because I thought that, I mean I had been taught to revere the priest and to look up to the priest and when, on this one occasion, when he started to touch me and kiss me and take my clothes off, take my hands and put them down his clothes, I mean it was so devastating, I couldn’t say anything, I couldn’t speak out and so I can remember he said, ‘Stop shaking, I won’t hurt you.’ That’s what I remember.”
11. Wide of banner reading (Dutch) ‘Work group human rights in the church – 20 years fight’
12. SOUNDBITE (English) San Deurinck, Victim of priest abuse in Belgium
“Leonard has tried to cover up the story (of the abuse), to keep the victims quiet, and he has even tried to bring the price down. So, as a bishop he has done everything the bishops have done over many, many years. It is always possible, maybe by an intervention of the holy spirit he will see the light and do what he has to do and I hope he does, but I afraid he (won’t).”
13. Wide of church abuse victims in front of news conference venue
STORYLINE:
The Belgian Roman Catholic church on Monday acknowledged widespread sexual abuse over years by its clergy and promised to help victims heal and to punish the abusers.
Hundreds of sex abuse victims have come forward in Belgium with harrowing accounts of molestation by Catholic clergy that reportedly led to at least 13 suicides and affected children as young as two, a special commission said on Friday.
Professor Peter Adriaenssens, chairman of the commission, said the abuse in Belgium may have been even more rampant than the 200-page report suggests.
In response, Belgium’s Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard said on Monday that the stories “and the suffering they contain, are frightening.”
“They bring us face to face with what never, never should have happened. They deserve our most profound listening and the greatest attention to this human drama which has occurred,” he told reporters in Brussels.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you…
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
16 Belgian bishop quits after admitting abuse, presser
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24 jul. 2015
(23 Apr 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of Brussels skyline
2. Town hall tower, church behind
3. Pan of Belgian newspaper headlines showing front page pictures of Archbishop of Bruges
4. Close of headline reading: (Flemish) ”Sex scandal in Bruges”
5. Close of headline reading: (French) ”A Belgian Bishop Resigns”
6. Close of Archbishop Roger Vangheluwe”s photograph in newspaper
7. Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Archbishop of Malines-Brussels arriving at press briefing
8. Close of journalist taking picture with cell phone
9. Wide of press conference and zoom on Archbishop Leonard
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Peter Rossel, Spokesperson for Bruges Diocese reading statement written by Roger Vangheluwe, Archbishop of Bruges:
“When I was not yet a bishop, and some times after, I sexually abused a young person from within my close entourage. This has marked the victim forever. During these last decades I have on numerous occasions recognised my fault towards him and his family and I asked for forgiveness.”
11. Cutaway of photographs
12. SOUNDBITE (Flemish) Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Head of the Catholic Church in Belgium:
“The Pope immediately accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Bruges, the Pope is at this moment making it public in Rome. The church underlines that in this matters there is no middle way. We hope in this way to be able to contribute to the recovery of the victim.”
13. Wide of press conference
14. SOUNDBITE (French) Peter Adriaenssens, President of the Church Commission on Sexual Misconduct:
“Let”s say that since the beginning of what happened in the Netherlands, etc, and the growing storm, we received twenty calls. But this commission did not start a few weeks ago, it started ten years back.”
15. Wide of speakers, zoom in of Archbishop Leonard”s ring
16. SOUNDBITE (Flemish) Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Head of the Belgian Church:
“It (the Church) needs clarity, humility, respect for the victims, and I would like to launch an appeal – which I will repeat in writing for my church and it will have repercussions in Belgium – that when someone had in his past this kind of thing, sexual abuse, this person should never agree to become a bishop or a priest. When someone is about to be ordained as a priest or to receive an Episcopal ordination and knows that he has skeletons in the closet of his past, his first duty is to refuse ordination.”
17. Wide of journalists around Archbishop Leonard
STORYLINE
Belgium”s longest serving bishop resigned on Friday, saying he was “enormously sorry” for having sexually abused a young boy about 25 years ago.
The resignation of Roger Vangheluwe, 73, the Bishop of Bruges since 1984, was the first from Belgium since a child abuse scandal began testing the Catholic Church several months ago in Europe and the United States.
At a news conference, Peter Rossel, spokesperson for the Bruges Diocese read a statement written by Roger Vangheluwe, Archbishop from Bruges, in which Vangheluwe announced his resignation and admitted to sexual abuse.
“When I was not yet a bishop, and some time later, I abused a boy,” Vangheluwe said in the statement.
He did not attend the news conference, but said Pope Benedict XVI had accepted his resignation.
“This has marked the victim forever,” Vangheluwe”s statement said, adding that he repeatedly has asked the victim and his family for forgiveness.
“I am enormously sorry,” the statement said.
Vangheluwe had been due to retire next year.
The Head of the Belgian Church, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard confirmed that “the Pope immediately accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Bruges.”
2 mei 2014
18 De carrière van Roger Vangheluwe: van “populaire bisschop” naar “het verborgene”
19 Vlaanderen Vandaag – Interview met Roger Vangheluwe
11 nov. 2011
20 Roger Vangheluwe wil geen pottenkijkers in klooster
16 apr. 2011
21 Studiogesprek met Adriaenssens
14 sep. 2010
22 Nietigverklaring inbeslagname 475 dossier bij Adriaenssens
4 jun. 2011
Op 13/08/2010 besliste de Kamer van Inbeschuldigingstelling van Brussel tot de nietigverklaring van de inbeslagname door onderzoeksrechter Wim De Troy op 24/06/2010 van de 475 meldingen van slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik aan de commissie Adriaenssens.
Op 27/08/2010 kreeg een VTM journalist inzage in dit vonnis en konden ze in prime-time als eerste dit nieuws bekend maken. In de studio gaf Peter Adriaenssens een reactie waarin hij zich ondermeer afvroeg door wie onderzoeksrechter De Troy ‘misleid’ was om deze inbeslagname te doen. Het was ondermeer Godelieve Halsberghe die door Danneels zou op de hoogte gesteld zijn van dossiers op een geheime bergplaats, nl. de crypte van kardinaal Mercier, verklaring die geleid heeft tot de inbeslagnames bij Adriaenssens, het Aartsbisdom en Danneels nadat in de cryptes niets was gevonden.
Op 22/12/2010 was het een anders samengestelde Kamer van Inbeschuldigingstelling die de inbeslagname van de dossiers bij de commissie Adriaenssens ongeldig verklaarde, op volledig dezelfde gronden als gebeurd was op 13/08/2010, en dit nadat nu ook de slachtoffers gehoord waren op een 2de KIB op 29/11/2010, iets waartoe het Hof van Cassatie op 12/10/2010 had besloten.
Over de geldigheid van de inbeslagname bij het Aartsbisdom en Danneels zal een nieuw samengestelde Kamer van Inbeschuldigingstelling voor de 3de maal moeten oordelen nadat op 03/09/2010 een eerste KIB de nietigverklaring uitsprak, op 22/12/2010 een 2de KIB de geldigverklaring besliste, die op haar beurt op 21/01/2011 op haar beurt door het Hof van Cassatie weer werd vernietigd.
23 Getuigenissen slachtoffers zijn stomp in de maag
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20100910 – TERZAKE – Getuigenissen slachtoffers van pedofilie in de kerk zijn stomp in de maag…
Cees (73) werd als kind misbruikt door broeder: “Je durft geen nee te zeggen”
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Wat doet mishandeling met een kinderbrein?
5 nov 2020
Over de neurologische en psychische gevolgen van trauma op kinderen
De gevolgen van kindermishandeling zijn niet te onderschatten. Zelfs tientallen jaren na de feiten kunnen slachtoffers nog last hebben van angsten, nachtmerries en psychosomatische klachten. Het trauma verankert zich in je lijf. Prof. Peter Adriaenssens zoomt in op het kinderbrein en legt uit waarom volwassenen nog steeds kunnen lijden onder hun jeugdtrauma.
Speakers’ corner met Christine Mussche (7/7) : misbruik in de kerk
Peter Adriaenssens is a Belgian child psychiatrist who is known for his work in the field of child abuse and trauma. Here are some key points about him:
Early life and education: Peter Adriaenssens was born in 1954 in Belgium. He studied medicine and psychiatry at the Catholic University of Leuven, where he later became a professor.
Work with child abuse and trauma: Adriaenssens is known for his work with child abuse and trauma. He has been involved in numerous high-profile cases in Belgium, including the investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in the country. He has also worked as an expert witness in trials involving child abuse.
Author and public speaker: Adriaenssens is a prolific author and public speaker. He has written several books on child abuse and trauma, including “A Lighthouse in the Storm: Help and Support for Victims of Sexual Abuse” and “Looking Back, Looking Forward: Coping with the Consequences of Child Abuse”. He also gives lectures and presentations on these topics.
Advocacy work: Adriaenssens is an advocate for victims of child abuse and trauma. He has worked with a number of organizations to raise awareness of these issues and to promote better support and care for victims.
Awards and recognition: Adriaenssens has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Order of Leopold II, one of the highest honors in Belgium. He has also been recognized by the European Union for his contributions to child protection.
Overall, Peter Adriaenssens is a prominent figure in the field of child abuse and trauma, and his work has had a significant impact on the way these issues are understood and addressed in Belgium and beyond.
9 sep. 2010
25 Etienne Vermeersch: over de katholieke kerk – (deel 5/8) “Een zoektocht naar waarheid”
17 jun. 2011
26 Danneels en Roger Vangheluwe – Prof. Etienne Vermeersch
00:00 Seksueel misbruik in de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk: de rol van Kardinaal Danneels en Roger Vangheluwe. –
03:35 Ethicus Prof. Etienne Vermeersch: ‘Danneels heeft zijn verstand niet gevolgd, maar evenmin zijn gevoel. Hij heeft zijn gevoel gevolgd voor Vangheluwe, maar hij heeft niet zijn gevoel gevolgd voor het slachtoffer.’ –
04:56 Vermeersch: ‘Smerige handen en het gebrek aan moreel aanvoelen: eerst de belangen van de kerk beveiligen. Zelfs geen pogingen om zich in te leven in de slachtoffers.’
27 Belgian bishop quits after admitting abuse, presser
(23 Apr 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of Brussels skyline
2. Town hall tower, church behind
3. Pan of Belgian newspaper headlines showing front page pictures of Archbishop of Bruges
4. Close of headline reading: (Flemish) ”Sex scandal in Bruges”
5. Close of headline reading: (French) ”A Belgian Bishop Resigns”
6. Close of Archbishop Roger Vangheluwe”s photograph in newspaper
7. Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Archbishop of Malines-Brussels arriving at press briefing
8. Close of journalist taking picture with cell phone
9. Wide of press conference and zoom on Archbishop Leonard
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Peter Rossel, Spokesperson for Bruges Diocese reading statement written by Roger Vangheluwe, Archbishop of Bruges:
“When I was not yet a bishop, and some times after, I sexually abused a young person from within my close entourage. This has marked the victim forever. During these last decades I have on numerous occasions recognised my fault towards him and his family and I asked for forgiveness.”
11. Cutaway of photographs
12. SOUNDBITE (Flemish) Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Head of the Catholic Church in Belgium:
“The Pope immediately accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Bruges, the Pope is at this moment making it public in Rome. The church underlines that in this matters there is no middle way. We hope in this way to be able to contribute to the recovery of the victim.”
13. Wide of press conference
14. SOUNDBITE (French) Peter Adriaenssens, President of the Church Commission on Sexual Misconduct:
“Let”s say that since the beginning of what happened in the Netherlands, etc, and the growing storm, we received twenty calls. But this commission did not start a few weeks ago, it started ten years back.”
15. Wide of speakers, zoom in of Archbishop Leonard”s ring
16. SOUNDBITE (Flemish) Monsignor Andre-Joseph Leonard, Head of the Belgian Church:
“It (the Church) needs clarity, humility, respect for the victims, and I would like to launch an appeal – which I will repeat in writing for my church and it will have repercussions in Belgium – that when someone had in his past this kind of thing, sexual abuse, this person should never agree to become a bishop or a priest. When someone is about to be ordained as a priest or to receive an Episcopal ordination and knows that he has skeletons in the closet of his past, his first duty is to refuse ordination.”
17. Wide of journalists around Archbishop Leonard
STORYLINE
Belgium”s longest serving bishop resigned on Friday, saying he was “enormously sorry” for having sexually abused a young boy about 25 years ago.
The resignation of Roger Vangheluwe, 73, the Bishop of Bruges since 1984, was the first from Belgium since a child abuse scandal began testing the Catholic Church several months ago in Europe and the United States.
At a news conference, Peter Rossel, spokesperson for the Bruges Diocese read a statement written by Roger Vangheluwe, Archbishop from Bruges, in which Vangheluwe announced his resignation and admitted to sexual abuse.
“When I was not yet a bishop, and some time later, I abused a boy,” Vangheluwe said in the statement.
He did not attend the news conference, but said Pope Benedict XVI had accepted his resignation.
“This has marked the victim forever,” Vangheluwe”s statement said, adding that he repeatedly has asked the victim and his family for forgiveness.
“I am enormously sorry,” the statement said.
Vangheluwe had been due to retire next year.
The Head of the Belgian Church, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard confirmed that “the Pope immediately accepted the resignation of the Bishop of Bruges.”
28 Prof Peter Adriaenssens
29 Sexual abuse survivor fights back against church | 60 Minutes Australia
3 jun. 2020
30 Richard Carleton exposes cover up of paedophile priests | 60 Minutes Australia
26 feb. 2019
31 Gerald Troost – Wolf in schaapskleren
32 ‘Katholieke kerk is griezeliger dan de maffia’
34 How Predator Priests Avoid Jail | System Error
20 jan 2022 #VICENews #News
On January 20, an inquest in Germany found that Pope Benedict knew about priests who abused children but failed to act.
Now, cases against the Catholic Church over child sex abuse are growing in the United States.
Pope Francis has promised “decisive action” on the issue and encouraged the reporting of allegations.
But survivors’ advocates allege that the church and its lobbyists oppose legislation that could allow more victims to come forward, and fight against the disclosure of important documents.
35 Ook misbruik op scholen en verenigingen 1-2
24 apr 2010
Seksueel misbruik door katholieke geestelijken is niet beperkt gebleven tot jeugdinternaten. Ook op gewone lagere scholen, middelbare scholen, op katholieke sport- en hobbyvereinigingen, in pastories en zelfs in ziekenhuizen zijn veel kinderen en tieners slachtoffer geworden van paters, fraters en pastoors. Dat blijkt uit eigen onderzoek onder ruim 6000 katholieken, die deel uit maken van het EenVandaag Opiniepanel.
Bijna 300 ondervraagden zijn zelf slachtoffer geworden. En voor twee op de drie speelde het misbruik zich af niet binnen, maar buiten een instelling. In emotionele reacties vertellen zij over hun ervaringen, die zij soms tientallen jaren voor zichzelf gehouden hebben.
Als jongetje van 9 jaar moest je een som maken op het bord. Je stond dan in je korte broek op een trapje de som te maken, terwijl de broeder met zijn handen in je kruis stond te knijpen. Als je dat thuis vertelde werd je niet geloofd.’
Ik ben op gruwelijke wijze verkracht,ze hebben mijn onschuld afgenomen.
De pastoor kwam als huisvriend thuis. Ik moest iedere zaterdag zijn auto wassen en werd dan als dank in de pastorie gepakt. Mijn ouders wilden het niet geloven en er niets van weten, want het was zon goede man. Het trauma blijft altijd.
Geen aangifte
De slachtoffers hebben zelden een klacht ingediend bij de Kerk of aangifte gedaan. Angst, schaamte, niet geloofd worden en ontzag voor de macht van de Kerk zijn veel gegeven oorzaken hiervoor.
Schadevergoeding
Tweederde van alle deelnemers aan het onderzoek vindt dat de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk meer moet doen dan in het openbaar excuses maken 59 procent wil dat de slachtoffers een schadevergoeding krijgen, ook als het misbruik verjaard is. De ondervraagden zijn blij met het onafhankelijke onderzoek onder leiding van Wim Deetman: 67 procent zegt vertrouwen in dit onderzoek naar seksueel misbruik in de Room-Katholieke Kerk te hebben.
Over het onderzoek
Aan het onderzoek deden 6 200 katholieken mee die deel uitmaken van het EenVandaag Opiniepanel. Het onderzoek is gehouden tussen 10 en 15 maart 2010.
Het EenVandaag Opiniepanel bestaat uit ruim 40.000 mensen. Zij beantwoorden vragenlijsten op basis van een online onderzoek. De uitslag van de peilingen onder het EenVandaag Opiniepanel zijn na weging representatief voor zes variabelen, namelijk leeftijd, geslacht, opleiding, burgerlijke staat, spreiding over het land en politieke voorkeur gemeten naar de Tweede Kamerverkiezingen van 2006.
Panelleden krijgen ongeveer een keer per week een uitnodiging om aan een peiling mee te doen. Op de meeste onderzoeken respondeert 60 tot 70 procent van de panelleden.
Psychiatrie : sexueel misbruik van patienten
36 Hallo 2015, Mgr Bonny, deel 1: Een week uit het leven van de bisschop
19 jun. 2015
37 Rik Torfs : Een professor in ‘Kerkelijk recht’
38 Rik Torfs : De Kerk en moraal
39 Rik Torfs : De Kerk als glimp van transcendentie
40 Rik Torfs : De Kerk als gastvrije ruimte
41 Rik Torfs : Spiritualiteit en humor
42 Rik Torfs : Het politieke belang van het middenplein
43 Waar komt (volgens u) onze moraal vandaan? (Rik Torfs)
44 Het Eenzame Hartenbureau op MENT met o.a. Rik Torfs (afl. 4)
35 Rik Torfs over boek vorige paus en film 2 popes
46 Tijdgeest
In deze podcast hoort u eerst Rik Torfs over zijn nieuw boek ‘Tijdgeest ’. Vervolgens kan u luisteren naar een interview van David Geens met Rik Torfs. Deze gesprekken werden opgenomen tijdens de boekvoorstelling van ‘Tijdgeest’ op 2 februari ’23 in het stadhuis van Mechelen.
47 “Juridisering van de moraal is heel gevaarlijk”, zegt Rik Torfs in ons interview over ‘Tijdgeest’
In deze videoversie van ons interview met Rik Torfs bespreken we kort enkele hoofdstukken uit zijn nieuwste boek ‘Tijdgeest’. We hebben het over taboes, tijd, vrijheid van meningsuiting, universiteit, geloof en wetenschap, en drie manieren om met de tijdgeest om te gaan. Humor is alvast de eerste. Beluister het volledige interview op https://palcast.simplecast.com/ en ga naar https://palnws.be/2023/02/rik-torfs-m… voor de kortere geschreven versie.
48 Rik Torfs : De Kerk en moraal
7 mrt 2023
In deze podcast hebben we het genoegen om te luisteren naar een boeiend gesprek tussen Rik Torfs en Mark Elchardus, twee vooraanstaande auteurs in België. Rik Torfs is hoogleraar, kerkjurist en voormalig rector van de Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Hij heeft verschillende boeken geschreven over religie, cultuur en maatschappij. Mark Elchardus is een socioloog en hoogleraar aan de Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Hij is gespecialiseerd in sociale en politieke veranderingen en heeft meerdere publicaties op zijn naam staan over thema’s als migratie, integratie en samenleving.
In de podcast bespreken Torfs en Elchardus hoe de huidige tijdgeest wordt bepaald door maatschappelijke trends en ontwikkelingen. Door de ontwikkelingen en trends van deze tijd te bespreken, biedt het gesprek een interessante blik op hoe onze maatschappij zich ontwikkelt en hoe deze ontwikkelingen onze tijdgeest vormen.
In zijn boek Tijdgeest gaat Torfs in op thema’s als religie, politiek, media en technologie en beschrijft hij hoe deze ontwikkelingen invloed hebben op ons dagelijks leven en op onze samenleving als geheel. Hij beschrijft hoe deze ontwikkelingen invloed hebben op ons dagelijks leven en op onze samenleving als geheel. Elchardus gaat in zijn boek Vrijheid/Veiligheid dieper in op de discussie over de balans tussen vrijheid en veiligheid. Hij betoogt dat deze twee waarden niet absoluut tegenover elkaar staan, maar elkaar juist aanvullen. Elchardus pleit voor een beleid waarbij vrijheid en veiligheid in balans zijn en waarbij rekening wordt gehouden met individuele vrijheden en privacy.
Tijdens het gesprek gaan Torfs en Elchardus dieper in op deze thema’s en bespreken ze hoe deze van invloed zijn op de huidige maatschappij. Zo komen onder andere de angst voor terrorisme en de groeiende nadruk op veiligheid ten koste van individuele vrijheden aan bod. Ook bespreken ze oude en nieuwe taboes, zoals de maatschappelijke discussie rondom gender en seksualiteit.
Een boeiend gesprek tussen twee vooraanstaande auteurs die een kritische blik werpen op onze hedendaagse samenleving en de maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen die deze vormgeven.
49 AvondGasten: De rooms-katholieke kerk is een groot schip dat maar langzaam van koers kan veranderen
20 okt 2014
” De rooms-katholieke kerk is een groot schip dat maar langzaam van koers kan veranderen.” Dat zei Hub Vossen van de Limburgse Franciscusgroepen in het L1-programma Avondgasten.
Hij reageert daarmee op de resultaten van de bisschoppensynode in Rome. Die boog zich de afgelopen twee weken onder meer over thema’s als homoseksualiteit en ongehuwd samenwonen.
Volgens pastoor Kurris van de Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek in Maastricht heeft de synode welliswaar geen concrete resultaten opgeleverd, maar zijn er wel positieve signalen afgegeven. Paus Franciscus heeft volgens Kurris de aanzet gegeven voor een nieuwe beweging. Een beweging waarin de gewone mensen centraal staan.
50 In de Wandelgangen – Misbruik in Rooms katholieke Kerk
51 Ruim 28 miljoen euro slachtoffers misbruik katholieke kerk
52 The Truth About Child Sex Abuse (Documentary)
54 REVEALED: Women Sex Slaves of the Catholic Church (FULL HD+CC)
In première gegaan op 1 okt 2022
Women Sex Slaves of the Catholic Church is a very important documentary about a serious taboo that has been broken recently. The film shines a light on sexual abuse of nuns by priests and reveals that thousands of nuns were sexually abused for decades by priests around the world. Women have endured years of sexual predation, becoming pregnant, being forced to have abortions. Here they openly testify and break the “omerta” on a subject that has been drowning in the Catholic church for decades.
From 1994 until 2015 the Vatican was alerted by internal confidential reports about churchmen that regularly rape nuns in more than 23 countries. These reports have been hushed up and the rapists continue to harm freely. With the complicity of the ecclesiastical courts, their victims have been reduced to silence, sometimes pushed to abort, often excluded from their community.
Pope Francis admitted as early as February 2019, that “Priests and Bishops” had committed sexual assaults on nuns. Following the revelations of sexual abuse, more nuns have begun to speak out and denounce the attacks they have been subjected to. One can’t help but be curious that the Pope makes this public statement when he knows the film will come out…
It’s interesting to see these nuns whose ages are different, find the courage to break the silence on camera to testify to these systemic sexual abuses. French director Marie-Pierre Raimbault collaborated with investigative journalist Eric Quintin for more than three years, to obtain the firsthand accounts of those nuns who claim they were used as sex slaves by Catholic priests.
This is yet another scandal which is engulfing the Catholic Church. At a time when the Vatican has taken its most concrete steps to address a long ordeal with sex abuse and cover-ups, a growing chorus of nuns is speaking out about the suffering they have endured at the hands of the priesthood, including rape, forced abortion, emotional abuse and labor exploitation.
We applaud each and every woman for her courage. It’s never easy to speak up.
55 In de kerk: gesprek over misbruik (19-04-2010)
21 apr 2010
Het is geen makkelijke tijd om katholiek te zijn. Bijna dagelijks komen er nieuwe gevallen van seksueel misbruik binnen de katholieke kerk aan het licht. In Deventer kwamen zon 50 gelovigen samen om hun hart te luchten over een schandaal dat de katholieke kerk nu al weken in haar greep houdt. Hoe gaan de kerkgangers in Deventer om met de onthullingen over mishandeling en misbruik? EenVandaag was bij de dienst en sprak met gelovigen over het misbruik en de reactie van de paus op alle onthullingen.
Zondag kondigde de paus tijdens een bezoek aan Malta aan dat de Kerk effectieve maatregelen zal nemen om in de toekomst kinderen te beschermen tegen seksueel misbruik door bijvoorbeeld priesters. Ook heeft Benedictus gezegd dat de Kerk de beschuldigingen van misbruik zal blijven onderzoeken.
56 Ruim 28 miljoen euro slachtoffers misbruik katholieke kerk
57 Studio Erasmus – Paul van Geest over de top over seksueel misbruik in de Katholieke kerk
58 Studio Erasmus: Machtsstrijd en misbruikschandalen in de katholieke kerk.
Back to menu IMPORTENT CONTENT Listening recommended Must
Filosoof Paul van Geest (auteur van o.a. Het katholicisme in Europa) over de Vaticaanse topontmoeting over misbruikschandalen en de machtsstrijd tussen de populaire paus Franciscus en conservatieve krachten in de katholieke kerk.
59 Augustinusdag 2020 – Bijdrage van Paul van Geest
60 Roger_Vangheluwe
61 Pope accepts resignation of a Belgium Bishop who abused a young man
23 apr 2010
www.romereports.com The pope accepted the resignation of the Belgian Bishop Roger Joseph Vangheluwe. Vangheluwe, the bishop of Bruges, came clean about abusing a young man at the beginning of his episcopate. .
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ROME REPORTS, www.romereports.com, is an independent international TV News Agency based in Rome covering the activity of the Pope, the life of the Vatican and current social, cultural and religious debates. Reporting on the Catholic Church requires proximity to the source, in-depth knowledge of the Institution, and a high standard of creativity and technical excellence.
As few broadcasters have a permanent correspondent in Rome, ROME REPORTS is geared to inform the public and meet the needs of television broadcasting companies around the world through daily news packages, weekly newsprograms and documentaries.
62 Gelovige over Godvergeten: “Er is een verschil tussen instituut Kerk en praktiseren van geloof”
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63 Kardinaal Jozef De Kesel neemt titelkerk in bezit in Rome
Back to menu
26 mrt 2017
Zaterdag 25 maart vierde kardinaal De Kesel eucharistie in zijn Romeinse titelkerk, de basiliek van Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
Zichtbaar onder de indruk van de hartelijkheid waarmee hij ontvangen werd door zijn Romeinse parochianen, betrad kardinaal De Kesel zijn titelkerk, de basiliek van de heiligen Johannes en Paulus.
De Santi Giovanni e Paolo was titelkerk van niet minder dan 3 latere pausen, waaronder de Nederlander Adrianus VI in de 16de eeuw en oorlogspaus Pius XII.
Daarover had de kardinaal het niet in zijn homilie. Wel stond hij op het Feest van de Aankondiging van de Heer (Maria Boodschap) stil bij het antwoord dat Maria gaf: Laat met mij gebeuren wat u gezegd hebt. (Lucas 1, 26-38)
Waarom wil God bij ons wonen?, zo vroeg hij zich hardop af. Waarom heeft Hij ons zo lief? Op die vraag is geen antwoord.
Het valt op in het verhaal van de aankondiging dat God zich niet opdringt, dat Hij niet wil handelen zonder de medewerking van de mens. Kardinaal De Kesel
Zonder het ja van de mens blijft God onmachtig, aldus Mgr. De Kesel. Maar als hij antwoordt, dan wordt alles mogelijk.
Toch heeft Maria niet lichtzinnig ja gezegd. Ze stelde vragen, ze wilde proberen te begrijpen hoe ze Gods zoon ter wereld zou kunnen brengen. Uiteindelijk vertrouwde ze zich toe aan Gods genade, zo legt de kardinaal uit. Hij ziet een verband met de Kerk vandaag. Ook zij zit met veel vragen en uitdagingen. En ze hoort dezelfde boodschap: ‘Wees niet bang.’
De kardinaal besloot zijn homilie met een verwijzing naar paus Franciscus: Laten we dankbaar zijn voor de wijze waarbij hij ons helpt om geen Kerk te zijn die zich afsluit van de wereld en zich opsluit in zichzelf. Maar een Kerk die meeleeft en meevoelt met de mensen, vooral met hen die arm zijn of hoe ook het slachtoffer van de globalisering van de onverschilligheid.
64 “Ik was de luis in de pels van de Kerk” – Rik Devillé
65 Puppy In Mailbox Prank – Just For Laughs Gags
5 apr. 2011