The Jesuit priest, Hans Zollner, who resigned Wednesday from his position in the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has denounced »lack of transparency» in the body created in 2014 by the Pope to confront abuses in the Church. »There should be transparency about how decisions are made within the Commission,» the priest said in a statement after nine years in office.
The German religious, director of the Institute of Anthropology of the Pontifical Gregorian University, one of the leading experts in the fight against abuses in the Church, has justified his resignation – which was accepted on March 14 – by the »lack of clarity about the selection process of members and staff, about their respective roles and responsibilities».
At the same time, he said that another area of concern is financial responsibility and accountability, which he believes is »inadequate. It is crucial that the Commission clearly show the use of funds in its work,» he said.
In the same way, he has shown his concern for not knowing »any norm that regulates the relationship between the Commission and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, since the Commission was incorporated to the Dicastery last June». Because of these structural and practical problems, I have decided to disassociate myself from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors,» he said.
Zollner explained this way after Cardinal Seán O’Malley, president of the Commission, published a communiqué this Thursday in which he pointed out that he had been a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, published a communiqué in which he pointed out that the priest »has taken this decision after reflecting on his recent appointment as consultor for the Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons of the Diocese of Rome — announced last March 4 as a necessary step following the recent apostolic constitution ‘In Ecclesiarum Communione’ — and, in view of this and his other responsibilities, has asked to be excused from his position on the Commission».
In the same communiqué, it is stated that the Pope »has accepted his request, thanking him deeply for his many years of service». Together with Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and the Spanish priest Jordi Bertomeu (both from the Doctrine of the Faith), Zollner has been one of the closest collaborators of Francis to put an end to this scourge.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
