A 'lacerating wound' for Christians
by John Hooper
Some of the gravest sex abuse claims ever to be levelled at Roman Catholic clerics are in danger of passing more or less unnoticed.
They concern an institution based in the north-eastern Italian city of Verona. For more than a century the Antonio Provolo Institute was regarded as a model of Catholic charity in action. It cared for the deaf mute children of families in a region, which, for most of that time, was among Italy's poorest. But according to an association founded by former students, its various premises were also the scene of hideous exploitation and terrible suffering.
In a document sent to the weekly news magazine L'Espresso, details of which were published on 22 January, 67 ex-pupils chronicled sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by priests and brothers belonging to the Compagnia di Maria per l'Educazione dei Sordomuti. They claim the abuse took place over a period of at least 30 years up to 1984.
In a statement issued after the article came out, the bishop of Verona, Giuseppe Zenti, said that, if the allegations proved to be true, they would represent a "lacerating wound" for all Christians. He promised an exhaustive investigation, but at the same time hinted that they were being used for the purposes of extortion. He said that, at a meeting with the association of former students in June 2007, he had been told that the accusations would be made public unless a dispute between the institute and the association was resolved in the latter's favour. The former pupils have premises within the institute and, he said, they were due to be evicted on 28 February following the outcome of a lawsuit. Subsequently, the daily, Avvenire, which is owned by the Catholic church, carried a report based on interviews with other former students who denied any knowledge of sex abuse at the institute.
What makes the whole affair even more exceptional is that the accusations can never be tested in a court of law and could therefore easily disappear from public view. Italy has a generous statute of limitations so, even if the alleged victims were to report what happened to the police, no charges could be brought against their alleged tormentors.
And "tormentors" is not an exaggerated term if the claims are true. In the testimony reproduced by L'Espresso, one man, identified only as Carlo, said that if he refused to submit to the attentions of one of the priests, he would be punished by being beaten or forced to kneel for hours in a corner. Another, Giuseppe, recounted that he had been blackmailed into giving sexual favours by the threat of receiving bad marks.
Possibly the worst accusations, though, were made by Bruno, a man now in his 60s, who claims he was anally raped by no less than 16 priests and brothers. And not just that. He recounts that he was taken by two priests to see a very senior prelate in Verona so that he could be anally raped by him too.
Nor were the girls in the institute immune, according to the claims made by the association. There are accounts of female pupils, now middle-aged women, who were physically molested during confession and forced to masturbate priests.
The Antonio Provolo Institute still exists and some of the accused priests continue to work there. But it no longer operates as a school for the deaf and dumb.
A written statement from the Bishop of Verona, quoted by L'Espresso, said that the institute came directly under the Vatican and not his diocese. Whether or not that is the case, the seriousness of the claims – and the helplessness of the alleged victims – make this an affair in which the leadership of the church ought to be taking a keen and urgent interest.
This article was found at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/feb/03/verona-catholic-abuse-provolo
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