Third priest outed for child sex abuse suspended, pending further inquiries

The Bishop of Évora D. Francisco Senra Coelho, has chosen his own methods of dealing with priests suspected of child sex abuse. Contrary to the thinking coming out of the bishops conference last Friday, he – like the Bishop of Angra in the Azores – has decided any priests denounced by people coming forwards to claim historic sexual abuse (or indeed current) should be suspended, pending further inquiries. He has thus suspended a priest, “following rules laid down by Pope Francis”, writes Correio da Manhã today “not listening to national episcopal leaders”. The latter, meantime, appear to be being ‘shamed’ into developing their previous stance. President of the episcopal conference D. José Ornelas is today being reported to be “promising more measures in the coming days”, albeit he still insists that “this dramatic situation” (pedophilia) “is transversal across society”…