BRUSSELS (AP) — The Belgian Roman Catholic church is acknowledging widespread sexual abuse over years by its clergy and promising to help victims heal and punish the abusers.
On Friday, a report was published in which hundreds of sex abuse victims revealed harrowing accounts of molestation by Catholic clergy throughout the country over the past 50 years.
In response, Belgium’s Archbishop Andre-Mutien Leonard said Monday “a feeling of anger and powerlessness” had taken hold of the church.
He said the crisis gripping the church is so deep it would be impossible to find an easy way out.
