Thread by @inesanma

.@valealazraki speaking at #PBC2019: "At first glance, there is little in common between you, bishops and cardinals, and me, a Catholic lay woman with no particular position in the Church, and moreover a journalist [and maybe that doesn't help]."

"Yet we share something very powerful: we all have a mother; we are here because a woman gave birth to us. Compared to you, perhaps I have an additional privilege: I am a mother first and foremost."

For a mother there are no first or second-class children; there are stronger children and more vulnerable ones. Nor are there first and second-class children for the Church.

"Her seemingly more important children, as are you, bishops and cardinals (I dare not say the Pope), are no more so than any other boy, girl or young person who has experienced the tragedy of being the victim of abuse by a priest."

"I think you should be aware that the more you cover up, the more you play ostrich, fail to inform the mass media and thus, the faithful and public opinion, the greater the scandal will be."

"If someone has a tumor, it is not cured by hiding it from one’s family or friends; silence will not make it heal; in the end it will be the most highly recommended treatments that will prevent metastasis and lead to healing."

Talking about the scandals of the Church in #Chile, @valealazraki tells #PBC2019: "There was no indifference: there was indignation and anger for the systematic
concealment, for the silence, for the deception of the faithful and the suffering of
victims."

"Even if the guilty party is dead, the victim’s pain is not extinguished. Although the guilty party can no longer be punished, at least the victim, who perhaps has lived many years with that hidden wound, can be consoled."

Behind the silence quite often there is not only the fear of scandal, concern for the institution’s good name, but also money, compensation, gifts, construction permits for schools and universities perhaps in areas where construction was not permitted. @valealazraki to #PBC2019

"My sensation is that within the Church there is still more resistance to recognizing that the problem of abuse exists and it is imperative to address it with all the instruments possible. Some believe that it happens only in certain countries."

"We do not expect you to inform us of just any accusation against a priest. We understand that there can and must be a prior investigation, but do so quickly, comply with the laws of the country you live in, and if envisaged, present the case to the civil justice system."

"All of you must understand that silence is far more costly than facing reality and making it public," when it comes to clerical sexual abuse of minors.

"What kind of transparency do journalists, mothers, families, the faithful, expect from an institution such as the Church? I think it is fundamental that, at every level, from the parish up to here, in the Vatican, there be structures that quickly offer accurate information."

.@valealazraki who's been covering the Church since the final years of the pontificate of Paul VI tells #PBC2019 that the response can never bee ‘no comment’, because then "we'll seek answers by asking others, and thus it will be third parties informing people."

On the matter of priests and bishops abusing nuns, @valealazraki tells #PBC2019 that she'd for the Church to "play offense and not defense, as has happened in the case of the abuse of minors. It could be a great opportunity for the Church to take the initiative."

.@valealazraki closing line: "I hope that after #PBC2019 you'll return home & not avoid us, but instead seek us out. That you'll return to your dioceses thinking that [journalists] aren't wolves, but, on the contrary, that we can join forces against the real wolves [abusers]."