Roger Vangheluwe's Abuse Scandal
Roger Vangheluwe stepped down as Bishop of Bruges — a position he'd held since 1984 — last spring after admitting he'd sexually abused his nephew decades ago. And though he'd done so for 13 years, starting when the boy was only five, the clergyman hasn't been prosecuted, because the statute of limitations had run out. Just this April, he said in a televised interview that he'd also abused a second nephew, but he didn't seem to see anything wrong with his behavior. "I had the strong impression that my nephew didn't mind at all. On the contrary. It was not brutal sex. I never used bodily, physical violence," Vangheluwe said. The man of the cloth also stated, "I don't have the impression at all that I am a pedophile." He’s bad enough, but — as far too many know from their own personal experiences — just one of many authorities in the Catholic Church who took advantage of their flocks around the world. The Vatican is still trying to come to grips with its widespread problem, calling on May 16 for new guidelines for preventing child sex abuse.