The Jesuits in Catalonia, after over a year of refusing to provide information about cases of pedophilia and abuse following reports by El País, have now released a report on the scandal.
The Jesuit report reveals that since the 1940s, 137 children have been abused in the autonomous region of Catalonia. Among the 41 perpetrators are 27 Jesuits and 14 laypeople. Six of the abuse cases are still not time-barred and have been handed over to the Public Prosecution Service for further investigation. All six cases involve the abuse of minors. Additionally, three individuals are accused of abusing eight adults.
Order admits failure in protecting abuse victims
Pau Vidal, the representative of the Jesuit congregation in Catalonia, admits that the institution failed and did not protect the victims. He cites the dominant culture of silence within the order and the need to protect the institution itself. Vidal offers an apology and states that the institution will take moral responsibility.
However, the order still refuses to fully disclose the details. The full report is not made public; the media received only a 13-page dossier. The order denies attempting to cover up the abuse scandal but acknowledges negligence in assisting victims. The order promises internal measures against those who were negligent but provides no further details about the responsible individuals or specific cases.
Jesuits do not disclose all perpetrators’ names
The Jesuits have only released the names of 14 of the accused, which were already publicly known. The names of the remaining 27 perpetrators are not disclosed. The locations and dates of the abuse incidents are also withheld. During a press conference, the order stated that it has revealed the identity of those cases currently under judicial process or those who abused multiple victims. The Jesuit order justifies the withholding of other names as “putting the victim at the centre.”
Victims accuse order of pseudo-apologies
Before the press conference, the order denied access to a group of victims. The press event was open only to journalists. The group distributed leaflets criticising the order for preparing a report without involving the victims, despite 25 victims being interviewed for the investigation. They also accuse the order of offering only public apologies for show.
The new data from the Jesuits is the result of an investigation prompted by several articles in the Spanish newspaper El País. These articles revealed that in the 1980s and 1990s, the congregation sent several clergy accused of abuse to Bolivia. The publications led to a wave of new complaints through El País, prompting the order to prepare an internal report. An audit by the RocaJunyent law firm revealed that most abuse cases occurred in schools.
Living perpetrators to face canonical investigation
The order reported at the press conference that six of the 14 revealed perpetrators are still alive. But because the crimes are time-barred, these Jesuits will not face a judicial trial. Instead, they will undergo a canonical investigation, as required by the new papal rules. Depending on the outcome, the perpetrators may face penalties such as “restrictions or bans on activities” and mandatory psychological treatment. Additionally, the order will strip the perpetrators of any awards or distinctions they have received.
Although the Jesuit order in Catalonia is now providing some transparency, a veil of concealment and silence still surrounds the abuse scandal. The order has indicated it will take responsibility for the mentioned actions, but how this will manifest in practice remains unclear.
Also read: Spanish church´s hidden compensation for abuse cases