The accusation has further damaged already strained Church-State relations.

"Too many times in our country, the Catholic Church has been complicit in covering up sexual violence. This must stop," said Ione Belarra, Spain's Minister of Social Rights.

She made the comment during an April 15 session of parliament. She was defending a new law extending the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against minors to the victim's 35th birthday.

Approval of the new legislation, known as the "Rhodes Law", has led to a showdown between Belarra and the bishops.

Catholic leaders wasted no time in condemning the minister's remarks.

The Episcopal Conference of Spain (CEE) issued a letter accusing the left-wing politician of "sullying the activity of the Church".

It said her comments before parliament were unacceptable and "do not correspond at all to reality".

"The work (of the Church) can not be tarnished by the actions of some of its unworthy members, nor by the assessments of politicians who, in the grip of a rancid anti-clericalism, use the Church for political confrontation in a strategy of rupture and confrontation," the CEE letter said.

Nonetheless, it said the bishops welcome the new law.

However, it cited recent figures from the ANAR Foundation (Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk), that indicate that only 0.2% of all cases of sexual abuse in Spain between 2008-2019 "occurred in the context of religious activities".

But the minister didn't leave it at that. Instead, Belarra turned up the heat.

"Unlike other European countries where independent investigations have been carried out, Spain has not yet investigated the problem of pederasty in the Church in depth," she said in a letter to Cardinal Juan José Omella of Barcelona, the CEE president.

Belarra's letter was published on April 19, the very day the episcopal conference began a weeklong plenary assembly.

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the papal nuncio to Spain, took the occasion to respond to the government minister's accusations.

"No one can interpret a lack of transparency as a refusal to support what the pope says. No one can doubt the credibility of the Church in this matter," he said in his address for the assembly.

Since the Socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez took power in June 2018, relations between the Church and Spain's civil authorities have experienced several upsets.

The formulation of new laws on euthanasia, private and public schools, and Church taxation have caused serious friction between the bishops and the Sanchez government.

But in recent months, it seemed that the two sides had struck a point of balance over the closure of places of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Spain hard.

That balance now appears to have been tipped.

Sources

La Croix International

Auza is the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York. Read more

"Here at the United Nations (UN) there is much sincere talk and normally passionate action to fight against unjust discrimination," said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Vatican nuncio to the United Nations.

He pointed to a double standard when he appeared before a UN panel last week.

"But as firm as these commitments are in principle, many delegations, UN agencies and active members of civil society tolerate gross violations of these commitments in practice."

He noted groups that claim to advance the rights and equality of vulnerable women and girls are "notably silent when pre-genetic screening followed by sex-selection abortion ends the lives of those they claim to defend,"

After pointing out the inconsistency of this approach, he went on to highlight the violation of those prenatally diagnosed with Down's syndrome.

Although the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities agrees to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights, including that of the right to life by all persons with disabilities, the Convention is often is not implemented in practice.

"… many members of the international community stand on the sidelines as the vast majority of those diagnosed with Trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome) have their lives ended before they're even born," Auza said.

He cited a 2011 study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics by Harvard University researchers.

The researchers found most people with Down's syndrome are happy with their lives and most parents love and are happy with their offspring who have Down's syndrome. Only four percent "regret having their child," he said.

Source

• The Catholic Register
• LifeSite
• The Tablet
• Image: Mundodastribos.com

Auza was speaking during a UN Committee debate on "Agricultural Development, Food Security and Nutrition". Quoting Pope Francis, he told the Committee the solution can be found in "practical solidarity to ensure the right of every person to be free of poverty and hunger".

He also told the Committee it is clear but "severely disappointing" that, based on current trends, "the world is not on track to eradicate hunger and malnutrition by 2030."

Auza said a recent UN Secretary General's report highlights the magnitude of the challenge:

• About 800 million people (one in nine of the world's population) lack access to adequate amounts of basic food
• Over 150 million children continue to suffer from severe malnutrition
• People living in war and conflict areas are especially vulnerable
• Hunger in war and conflict areas has increased sharply in just one year: from 80 to 108 million
• At the "current pace of implementation, the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 2 will not be realized and its targets will not be achieved in many parts of the world"
• Large segments of the world's population, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, will remain undernourished or malnourished by 2030
• Despite great progress in alleviating poverty in many regions of the world, hunger and malnutrition will continue to be major barriers to achieving sustainable development.

Source

• Zenit
• Image: JimmyJoe.com