Belgian Abuse Victims Meet Leo XIV — It's About Money, Money, Money
Pope Francis had already met with the group in Belgium in September 2024 and they requested a follow-up audience in Rome, which Francis granted. Pope Leo XIV fulfilled that promise.
Ironically, the alleged victims trust the Vatican more than the Belgian bishops. They asked Leo XIV to remove Archbishop Luc Terlinden, 57, of Brussels. However, Leo XIV was the cardinal in charge of the Congregation of Bishops when Monsignor Terlinden was appointed archbishop of Brussels in September 2023.
Participants noted Leo XIV’s limited ability to speed up the compensation paid by the Belgian dioceses.
Furthermore, the group was frustrated that a planned meeting with Cardinal Tucho Fernández was canceled, although this was entirely predictable.
According to the alleged victims, the Belgian dioceses are avoiding "financial responsibility." The alleged victims want around one million euros each, whereas the Church currently offers between €2,500 and €25,000, plus €3,000 for therapy. The alleged victims find this "inadequate".
The alleged victims in Belgium compared their situation to that in the United States, where the Church has paid significantly higher compensation to avoid trials, leading several dioceses to file for bankruptcy.
For comparison: European justice systems often consider €2,000 enough compensation for e.g. vaccination damages.
Picture: Vatican Media, #newsVsbpemlzqr