Archiefbeeld. — © ANP / Peter Hilz
Archbishop Luc Terlinden has suspended the parish administrator of Sint-Katelijne Waver from all his duties as a priest after a complaint to the church reception center for sexual abuse. This is a complaint outside the pastoral context. The suspension was announced in a message from the archbishop that was read during last weekend’s celebrations in the parishes of Sint-Katelijne-Waver. The priest was administrator of the four parishes of Sint-Katelijne-Waver: Our Lady, Saint Catherine, Good Shepherd and Saint Augustine.
The suspension is preventive and will remain in effect until there is a court ruling on guilt or innocence. The case has been referred to the court and to the church authorities in Rome. Part of the suspension is also that the priest will no longer reside in the territory of the parishes of Sint-Katelijne-Waver that were entrusted to him.
In the statement, Archbishop Terlinden reiterates his apologies “to all victims of abuse in the Catholic Church” and says he is “deeply ashamed”. His spokesperson added that “no further communication” will be made about the case “in the interest of the investigation”.