The Church in Malta has noted the sentence meted out by the Court by which two friars have been found guilty of child abuse at the time when these children were under their care.
Once again, the Church in Malta expresses its deep regret that such minors were abused while under her care and asks forgiveness for this abuse: primarily to all the victims who suffered abuse and also to Maltese society at large. The Church also regrets that the investigations took so long to be concluded.
Within a short time, Archbishop Paul Cremona once again intends to meet with the victims to personally ask for their forgiveness.
The Church urges all those persons who may have some knowledge of abuse on minors to report these abuses immediately. The Church has strengthened its structures in order that as far as possible, such abuses may be avoided; should it take place, measures will be taken to rectify the matter in the shortest time possible.
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Statement by the Missionary Society of St Paul:
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The Missionary Society of St. Paul (M.S.S.P.), would like to communicate the following with
reference to Fr. Charles Pulis:
1. Pope Benedict XVI has decreed the dismissal from the clerical state of the said presbyter,
as a penalty, who however will remain incorporated in the above mentioned Missionary Society.
This decision cannot be appealed.
2. Furthermore the Missionary Society would like to remind that from the moment the first
allegations surfaced in 2003, Fr. Charles Pulis was barred from public priestly ministry as a
precautionary measure.