This morning, during a press conference, the Deetman Commission released their first official report relating to the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. The 74-page document offers an overview of the aid available to victims in the past 15 years via Hulp & Recht, and it is not mild in its criticism. Essentially, the Commission finds, the intentions and professionalism was present, but practice and procedure were sorely lacking. Neither Hulp & Recht nor the bishops come away scot-free: in an overview of meetings that the Commission had with victims, Archbishop Eijk is named twice for not following professional advice in a specific abuse case, and Bishop de Korte is also mentioned for making promises that the Church was unable to keep. The fact that these two bishops were even specifically mentioned speaks volumes, I think.
Not surprisingly, the Deetman Commission proposes a complete overhaul of the aid system in place now. Hulp & Recht even needs to change its name, since it has offered neither help nor justice.
The full report may be downloaded here (with a tip of the hat to Isidorusweb).
Photo credit: Valerie Kuypers/ANP
In Caelo et in Terra 
It’s not archbisshop Eijk, but former archbisshop Simonis who is mentioned in the documents…
Are you sure? I am referring to the notes about the cases of Mr. Egging and Mr. Kemmerling on pages 68 and 70 of the report. The archbishop was advised about these in 2010 and 2008 respectively. Msgr. Eijk was appointed to Utrecht in December of 2007.
“Bishop de Korte is also mentioned for making promises that the Church was unable to keep”
Ja… het probleem zet vooral in het slecht voorbereiden van de vrijwilligers die slachtoffers moesten helpen (begin blz. 36) en het slechte organisatie.
Ik hoop dat de Kerk zal leren van deze faouten en dat spoedig een betere organisatie komt ter hulp v. slachtoffers en preventie v. misbruik.
Ik denk dat daar geen ontkomen aan is. De organisatie werkt nu simpelweg niet voldoende, zo blijkt.