Bishop appoints protestant official to investigate abuses

UTRECHT – The Dutch Roman Catholic Church is facing a flood of sexual and other abuse claims against priests, brothers and teachers. The controversy was unearthed by investigative reporters, who documented a number of complaints of misconduct at a residential school run by a Roman Catholic order. Since then hundreds of other cases have surfaced. All complaints are being referred to a special channel Hulp & Recht (which translates as Help & Justice) set up some time ago, which is supervised on behalf of the Dutch College of Bishops by Groningen-Leeuwarden diocese Bishop dr. G.J.N. de Korte. The channel may be seen as a disciplinary agency. Bishop De Korte appointed church outsider, former Education Minister and ex-Mayor of The Hague Wim Deetman, a protestant, to report on the complaints. Internally, the problems at the order surfaced as early as 1967.