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24 novembre 2019 pas de commentaire
La Croix Africa conducted a survey to find out how Pope Francis’ motu proprio, Vos estis lux mundi (You are the light of the world), has been received in Africa and how the African bishops’ conferences have absorbed its message to tackle sexual abuse in the Church.
The 2019 Ratzinger Prize winner analyzed the resistance in Africa to the issue of sexual abuse in the Church. He also felt that the binding nature of Pope Francis’ motu proprio, published in May, would be an opportunity for Africa to overcome the cultural barriers to managing sexual abuse.
The pope’s text offers no other option for conferences than to tackle the issue of sexual abuse. He requires them to set up sexual abuse reporting centers, either at diocesan or national level. In addition, all clerics are now required to report sexual abuse of which they are aware.
Before and during the summit on sexual abuse, convened in Rome by Francis in February, many observers had highlighted the resistance of the African Church to the management of sexual abuse.
Indeed, some African bishops unwisely considered that this question was more relevant in the West more than Africa, which had other priorities.
However, sexual abuse is not a fantasy and it is a reality in Africa, too.
The Ivorian Church, for example, was confronted twice with the issue of sexual abuse between 2018 and 2019.
In April 2019, the Ivorian Catholic community was shaken by the death, probably by suicide, of a 51-year-old priest from the Diocese of Grand-Bassam who had been suspended following a claim he sexually abused a child.
At the end of 2018, another priest, this time in the Archdiocese of Abidjan, was referred to the public prosecutor’s office following another accusation. This one was later being dismissed in court.
Since the publication of Vos estis lux mundi, however, the discourse in Africa on sexual abuse seems to have evolved and moved away from denial.
Bishop Ignace Bessi of Katiola, in northern Ivory Coast and President of that country’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference, insisted on the need to favor a language of truth and humility.
These « somewhat harsh » measures of Pope Francis are beneficial, says Sister Solange Sahon Sahon Sia, Director of the Center for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable People at the Catholic Missionary Institute of Abidjan. From now on, « it is up to everyone to take responsibility, » she said.
Since May, almost all African bishops’ conferences have announced plans to open sexual abuse reporting offices by May 2020. The commitment was especially firm in Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic.
Since October, Congo has undertaken a series of training sessions for all the coordinators of Catholic schools and intends to allow « a frank dialogue within basic ecclesial communities on the question of sexual abuse. »
In this country, where the Catholic Church is very powerful, supporting structures will be created at the diocesan level. Togo has taken the same option.
« Some bishops have even published a list of the people who make up these offices, » says Bishop Barrigah-Benissan.
On the part of the Association of East African Bishops’ Conferences — it includes Malawi, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Zambia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia — an important milestone was reached on May 29 with the publication of two key texts: « Standards and Guidelines for Child Protection » and the « Facilitators’ Guide for Child Protection. »
However, do these declarations and measures mark a certain step forward? Nothing could be less certain.
This is underlined by Father Jean Messingue, a Cameroonian Jesuit priest, a specialist in clinical psychology and a specialist in the field of sexual abuse, who believes it is difficult to get a precise idea of what the African Churches « really » think about the measures imposed by the pope.
« How will the concrete implementation of these reporting offices be carried out? » asked one skeptical Beninese priest, who asked to remain anonymous. « Our dioceses are poor and evangelization is often at the level of basic catechesis. To tell you the truth, I don’t really believe in imported ready-to-think directives. »
Bishop Bessi points out another difficulty in implementing the measures as ordered by the Pope.
« Reporting is, in general, not an easy task in Africa and especially in Ivory Coast, » he explained. « Culturally, this will therefore be a problem since the trend is toward negotiation to preserve harmony. »
But for the Ivorian bishop, it is up to the Church to « evangelize and purify » an African culture that has difficulty accepting reports of sexual abuse.
In addition, the physical creation of sexual abuse reporting offices may not be sufficient to create established reporting patterns, warned Bishop Bessi.
« We need a preventive discourse, » he said, but one that must « guarantee sensitivity in the reports, so that the victims are not exposed to vindictiveness, while ensuring that there are no slanderous denunciations. »
One thing, however, that everyone seems to agree on is that the management of sexual abuse in the Church must be inculturated.
This is because « communicating about sexual abuse is a delicate exercise that requires mastering the codes of the environment, » said Bishop Bessi.
Father Georges Kalenga, deputy secretary general of Congo’s bishops’ conference, expanded on this theme.
« In many societies in DR-Congo, sexuality issues are a taboo and cannot be addressed in public, » he said. « We must ensure that we respect the community’s reserve in this regard and look for the appropriate way to get the information across. »
The retention of certain customs that promote early marriage also makes this exercise all the more difficult, said Father Kalenga.
On the side of Catholic laity, however, sexual abuse is a cause for great concern and embarrassment.
« Every time I read about a sexual abuse scandal in the Church, I feel hurt and embarrassed, » said Rodrigue Yessinou, a young Beninese.
Justine Blédou, a lay Ivorian, is also concerned about the increase in sexual abuse of minors in Ivory Coast, saying, « The Church must be intractable on the subject. When it comes to abuse, it must set a good example. »
Lucie Sarr (Traduction La Croix Africa)
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