The Vatican embassy in Italy has called for an investigation into sexual abuse in the Italian Catholic Church, despite continued debate about how such a probe should be conducted.
A small number of demonstrators approached the Apostolic Nunciature building in Rome’s centre, brandishing placards depicting men and women in blood-stained underwear. One of the demonstrators was wearing a nun’s veil.
They said they were inspired by a protest held in the Estonian capital Tallinn in April to call attention to alleged atrocities against women in Ukraine by invading Russian military. Demonstrators in that protest put fake blood to their undergarments and down their legs.
‘I have regrettably suffered paedophilia, and every victim knows they will never be able to heal from what they have been through,’ activist Francesco Zanardi said.
Zanardi, 51, is the founder of Rete l’Abuso (The Abuse Network), and in February founded ‘Beyond the Great Silence’ with eight other organisations to put pressure on Italy’s Church to agree to an impartial probe.
The Italian bishops are split on whether an eventual full-scale probe should be undertaken internally, utilising existing resources such as diocesan anti-abuse committees, or by an independent body comprised of academics, attorneys, and abuse experts.
They are also split on whether it should be limited to the recent past or extend back decades.
‘A’super partes’ (impartial) body is required to manage the crisis, which in this case is the state, but the state has been the only big absent party in this whole matter for years now,’ Zanardi added.
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