Bishop Grech strongly denies allegations that he is guilty of “lack of action” about child abuse
Bishop Grech strongly denies allegations that he is guilty of “lack of action” about child abuse.
I have received the following communication from lawyers engaged by the Bishop of Gozo following this post.
Mr. Lambert,
I have been briefed by His Excellency Bishop Mario Grech to rebut the false allegations that you have made in his regard in your blog entitled “Worrying abuse allegations in Scicluna’s backyard”.
Bishop Grech formally denies that he has ever “shielded” any member of the clergy falling under his jurisdiction from accusations of child molestation, or, as you put it in your blog “predation on pubescent boys”. Nor has he ever ignored any call from his superiors to take action against any member of the clergy and hence your assertion that he has is guilty of “lack of action” in this respect is also absolutely unfounded.
On the contrary, Bishop Grech confirms that:
i. Whenever any allegation of child molestation or abuse of minors by any member of the clergy falling under his jurisdiction has been brought to his attention, he has promptly taken all the necessary action called for both by canonical law, and by the law of the State as applicable at the time he was made aware of that allegation;
ii. He has promptly brought those allegations to the attention of that body competent to take cognisance thereof at that time, and ensured that all cooperation within his power was provided to the body investigating each particular allegation;
iii. He has also promptly followed the directives given to him by his superiors relating to any such allegation;
iv. Finally he has made himself available both to his superiors and to the civil authorities for any clarification, and the provision of any information, that might have been required.
Consequently your allegations are not only absolutely unfounded but also, should you persist in the publication of this blog, your behaviour will amount to civil and criminal slander and calumny.
My client is therefore exercising his right of reply to those allegations and I am therefore formally requesting you to publish the contents of this letter with the same prominence as that of the original blog.
Failure on your part to comply with this request will obviously constitute a violation of my client’s right to have his denial published and will lead to civil and criminal procedures being filed against you.
Av. Carmelo Galea.
Carmelo Galea & Associates
83, Sir Luigi Camilleri Street,
Victoria, Gozo
VCT 2706
Malta
Mob: 0035699423348
Tel: 0035621563348
email: drcgalea@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 New International Version (NIV)
Lawsuits Among Believers
6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Mr. Lambert,
I have been briefed by His Excellency Bishop Mario Grech to rebut the false allegations that you have made in his regard in your blog entitled “Worrying abuse allegations in Scicluna’s backyard”.
Bishop Grech formally denies that he has ever “shielded” any member of the clergy falling under his jurisdiction from accusations of child molestation, or, as you put it in your blog “predation on pubescent boys”. Nor has he ever ignored any call from his superiors to take action against any member of the clergy and hence your assertion that he has is guilty of “lack of action” in this respect is also absolutely unfounded.
On the contrary, Bishop Grech confirms that:
i. Whenever any allegation of child molestation or abuse of minors by any member of the clergy falling under his jurisdiction has been brought to his attention, he has promptly taken all the necessary action called for both by canonical law, and by the law of the State as applicable at the time he was made aware of that allegation;
ii. He has promptly brought those allegations to the attention of that body competent to take cognisance thereof at that time, and ensured that all cooperation within his power was provided to the body investigating each particular allegation;
iii. He has also promptly followed the directives given to him by his superiors relating to any such allegation;
iv. Finally he has made himself available both to his superiors and to the civil authorities for any clarification, and the provision of any information, that might have been required.
Consequently your allegations are not only absolutely unfounded but also, should you persist in the publication of this blog, your behaviour will amount to civil and criminal slander and calumny.
My client is therefore exercising his right of reply to those allegations and I am therefore formally requesting you to publish the contents of this letter with the same prominence as that of the original blog.
Failure on your part to comply with this request will obviously constitute a violation of my client’s right to have his denial published and will lead to civil and criminal procedures being filed against you.
Av. Carmelo Galea.
Carmelo Galea & Associates
83, Sir Luigi Camilleri Street,
Victoria, Gozo
VCT 2706
Malta
Mob: 0035699423348
Tel: 0035621563348
email: drcgalea@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 6:1-11 New International Version (NIV)
Lawsuits Among Believers
6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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