(Reuters) — A British member of a Vatican advisory commission on sexual abuse who has been among the most outspokenly critical of the Vatican, has left the group, the Vatican said on Saturday (February 6), in an embarrassment for the Holy See.
A statement said that at a commission meeting “it was decided” that Peter Saunders should take a leave of absence. Saunders himself a victim of sexual abuse by a priest, did not immediately reply to a telephone message requesting a comment on the circumstances of his departure.
It said Saunders head of Britain’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, would now “consider how he might best support the commission’s work”.
In a separate statement on Saturday, commission president Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston said Saunders had been asked to advise the commission on the possible establishment of a victim survivor panel.
His departure leaves only one victim of sexual abuse by a cleric, Marie Collins of Ireland, sitting on the commission, which has been slowed down by internal disputes.
Saunders had been increasingly critical of the commission, which was set up in 2014. Made up of clerics and lay people from around the world, its task is to help Pope Francis root out sex abuse in the Church. Eight members are women.
On the eve of the commission’s current meeting, Saunders was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying that the previous meeting last year was a “non-event,” and demanded that the pope attend the current meeting.
The commission is made up of 17 clerics and lay people from around the world. It aims to help dioceses prevent abuse and work with victims in a process of healing. Eight members are women and two were sexually abused by clergy.
Saunders first attended the commission one year ago and said he would not remain on the commission unless fast action would be taken to hold accountable those who had covered up such cases.
“If there isn’t action taken to apprehend and bring to justice people known by the church and relevant documents handed over… it is not disputed that there have been far too many cover-ups, there have been far too many clergy protected, moved from place to place, this has got to be consigned to history very, very quickly and if in a year or two there isn’t some firm action on those matters, then I don’t think I will be sitting here talking to you,” Saunders said at a news conference after the first meeting he attended.
He also said he was taken aback when he heard about what he called “the apparent endorsement of hitting children”. He added that he planned to talk to Pope Francis about it when they next met.
“I am quoted as saying he comes out with some howlers and that just proves his humanity and his kind of normal-ness if you like, so I think that’s good. But I think we need to talk to the Pope about this issue because there are millions of children around the world who are physically beaten on a daily basis,” said Saunders.
Last year, Saunders made waves when he said that Australian Cardinal George Pell should be dismissed over allegations he failed to take action to protect children years ago. Pell is now the Vatican’s Economic Minister.
The commission, which is advising Pope Francis on how to wipe out sex abuse in the Church, later distanced itself from Saunders comments.
Saunders has also been outspoken about a case of an alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in Chile and that threatened to resign from the commission over the Vatican’s handling of that case. The Vatican says the commission is an advisory group and members should not make comments on individual cases.
