Three priests who have sexually abused children in the past have been nominated for advisory roles to Archbishop Luc Terlinden.
The 'Priest Council' advises the Archbishop of Brussels-Mechelen. The most recent list of nominees includes three known perpetrators of sexual abuse, several local media revealed on Wednesday.
Retired priest and founder of the working group Human Rights in the Church Rik Devillé says that the three names belong to the over-75 category of abusers known to the Catholic Church.
"I couldn't believe it when the electoral list arrived in my mailbox: three perpetrators who abused several minors," Devillé said. "One of them has been brought to justice, and settlements were reached for the other two. The last settlement was barely a week ago. A shame."
"If this information is correct, then it is a serious, structural error," commented Geert De Kerpel, spokesperson for Archbishop Terlinden. De Kerpel has not confirmed whether or not the names are on the list. Priests elected to the Council will be announced in mid-May.
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De Kerpel added that Archbishop Terlinden would refuse the appointment of any of these three individuals if they were elected.
A commission is currently investigating "the handling of sexual abuse in the Church and outside, including judicial treatment, and the consequences today for victims and society."
The investigation was prompted by revelations in a VRT documentary Godvergeten (loosely translated as 'Godforsaken' in English). The documentary had an explosive effect in Belgium for its disturbing details of institutional abuse in the Catholic Church.
