Dozens of cases of sexual abuse committed by clergy members over six decades were revealed on Monday in an independent report on a northern Italian diocese that delved further into the past than other reports from the Italian Catholic Church. Unlike Italian bishops who have focused on reports from 2020-2022, the diocese of Bolzano-Brixen investigated cases dating back to its founding in 1964 up to 2023.
Bolzano-Brixen, situated in the German-speaking province of South Tyrol near the Austrian border, has been more proactive on the issue than other Italian dioceses. In 2010, it became the first diocese to establish an office to address reports of clerical sexual abuse.
The report, compiled by a German law firm and consisting of 631 pages, examined church archives and interviews, revealing 67 potential abuse cases, of which 53 were supported by strong or credible evidence. These cases involved 41 priests, which constituted 4.1% of the clergy in the diocese during this period. One priest, suspected of abusing young girls as far back as the 1960s, went unpunished until 2010 when he was compelled to retire by the local bishop.
Due to the statute of limitations, the priest did not face criminal charges in Italy, highlighting what the report described as the "general systemic failure of the Church" over nearly five decades of impunity. The Bishop of Bolzano-Brixen, Ivo Muser, emphasized the need to "take the victims seriously, to acknowledge the pain, and to address this grievous issue within our church and society."
The report identified a total of 75 alleged victims, with 51 females, 18 males, and 6 of unknown gender. The majority were minors, with 51% of the females aged 8-14 at the time of the abuse, and half of the males being just under 18.
The report also mentioned that three male victims committed suicide "decades after the abuses", and highlighted a case where a victim's funeral was officiated by the alleged abuser, causing outrage among the congregation.
The authors noted that victims often wait many years before coming forward, suggesting that their findings likely represent only a fraction of a larger issue, potentially involving "a high number of undisclosed cases."
Scandals involving pedophile priests and the subsequent cover-ups of their actions have plagued the global Catholic Church for decades, tarnishing its reputation and resulting in significant financial settlements. Pope Francis has made addressing clergy abuse a key focus during his 12-year papacy.