Survivors of childhood sexual abuse have called for the resignation of Tenerife’s bishop, Bernardo Álvarez. The Stolen Childhood Association, the Navarra Victims Association, and the Lulacris Association against Childhood Abuse have demanded accountability from the bishop for allowing a priest from Tejina, who was reported in 2004 for paedophilia, to continue practising with ‘protection and immunity’ until 2014.
In a public letter entitled “No More Silence,” the associations reveal that they examined the list of authorised appointments by the bishop in the Official Gazette of the Nivariense Diocese and found that the priest remained in his role for a decade after the complaint. The victims express their ‘disapproval, outrage, and bewilderment,’ and point out that other victims’ testimonies confirmed that sexual abuse had been taking place since the 1970s.
”These actions have not only been concealed, but the perpetrator has continued to be shielded and immune, even after you took on the episcopate,” they tell Bernardo Álvarez. ”Your obligation was to ensure the integrity and safety of all your members, especially the most vulnerable. Instead, you allowed that priest to carry on exercising the priestly ministry at the Hogar del Santísimo Cristo de La Laguna,’ they added.
The victims stress the significant psychological impact suffered by those who have experienced sexual assaults. ”The suffering inflicted on the victims and the psychological, emotional, and behavioural repercussions stemming from these atrocities are devastating and enduring. The social turmoil endured by their families and the harm inflicted on the community by individuals from the institution itself or closely associated are immeasurable,” they emphasise.
This is the primary reason why they believe that the Catholic Church is facing a “very severe moral and profound credibility crisis.” For the bishop to rectify his mishandling, the victims call for bold actions that demonstrate Bernardo Álvarez’s dedication to the well-being of the victims. They also demand that services related to mental health, legal counsel, and financial compensation for the damages incurred be made accessible to survivors.
Among other suggestions is educating the ecclesiastical community on preventing violence and sexual abuse and collaborating with public authorities. ”Commencing a process of regeneration, reparation, and sanctions necessitates his resignation as a critical requirement,” they conclude.
The bishop of Tenerife has even gone as far as justifying the abuse of minors in media statements. ”There may be minors who do consent and, in reality, there are. There are minors who are 13 years old and perfectly content with it, and moreover, seek it out. Even if you are negligent, they provoke you,’ he stated in an interview with the local newspaper The Opinion of Tenerife in 2007.
