Belgium’s prime minister has delivered unusually sharp criticism of Pope Francis on Friday, demanding accountability for the Catholic Church’s cover-up of clerical sex abuse.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called for “concrete steps” from the Church to prioritize survivors and acknowledge its failings.
The pope is in Belgium to celebrate the 600th anniversary of Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, the nation’s two Catholic universities.
His well-attended, albeit brief visit has been overshadowed by rising tensions within Belgium’s Catholic community, due to widespread child sex abuse allegations against senior officials in the country.
“Survivors need to be heard. They have a right to truth,” De Croo said at Laeken Castle, Brussels, the residence of Belgium’s royal family.
“When something goes wrong, we cannot accept cover-ups,” the prime minister added.
King Philippe also urged the Church to work incessantly to atone for its crimes and help survivors heal.
AP Photo/Andrew Medichini
De Croo’s most-pointed remarks were delivered in Flemish, reflecting the prominence of the abuse cases in Flanders. His speech deviated from Vatican protocol—typically only the king would address the pope.
However, De Croo’s office specifically requested that he speak, to communicate the gravity of the nation’s distress over the abuse scandal, which has been unfolding for over two decades in the European nation.
Allegations of sexual abuse within the Church came to a head in 2010 when Bruges Bishop Roger Vangheluwe admitted to sexually abusing his nephew for 13 years. Another institutional senior figure was later filmed encouraging the nephew not to share his story until Vangheluwe retired.
Vangheluwe resigned but faced no immediate punishment. It was only earlier this year that the pope decided to defrock him.
“Today, words alone do not suffice. We also need concrete steps,” De Croo told the audience of royals, church officials, diplomats, and politicians.
Pope Francis responded by acknowledging the Church’s responsibility. “This is our shame and humiliation,” he said in an unscripted remark.
He is expected to meet privately with 15 of those affected during his visit.
However, survivors are demanding more, including reparations and long-term support for the trauma they have endured.
AP Photo/Andrew Medichini
The 2010 report by the Belgian Church documented 507 cases of abuse, with victims as young as 2 years old. It also noted that at least 13 people affected by the abuse are thought to have killed themselves—victims’ advocates believe the true scale is much greater.
Adding to the Church’s troubles is a separate scandal involving “forced adoptions.”
Between the 1940s and 1980s, single mothers were pressured by the Church to give up their babies for adoption, often without their consent. Estimates suggest up to 30,000 people were affected.
De Croo and King Philippe both referenced the forced adoptions in their speeches.
“The Church must work tirelessly to bring clarity and ensure justice,” King Philippe said. Belgium’s Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt called the adoptions “horror practices by the Church.”
Pope Francis expressed sadness over the issue, noting that such practices reflected societal norms of the time.
AP Photo/Andrew Medichini
Public outrage over these scandals has reignited following the 2022 documentary Godvergeten (Godforsaken), which brought new attention to the Church’s cover-ups.
Co-creator Ingrid Schildermans’ production uncovered the cycle of hope and disappointment that survivors have been subjected to.
The documentary led to inquests by both the Flanders Parliament and Belgium’s national Parliament.
A follow-up investigation aims to determine whether external pressures influenced the collapse of previous criminal probes.
“We put all the things that happened on a timeline, so that (the Church) couldn’t say ‘It’s one rotten apple,” Schildermans said.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
