Dutch Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse have been placed on non-active duty effective immediately, the first suspensions since reports of abuse surfaced in the Netherlands over a month ago. The Dutch Roman Catholic Church said in March it was asking an independent commission to look into reports of alleged sexual abuse by priests in response to an increasing number of victims coming forward.
Father Herman Spronck of the Dutch Salesian order said on Friday it had been decided, following consultations with his superiors in Brussels, that accused priests would be asked to cease their activities within the congregation.
Dutch media said three accused priests and brothers were still active in youth work or management functions and Spronck said all three had agreed to cease their work.
"It is humiliating to be confronted with this matter," Spronck said, adding the Salesian order would fully cooperate with the independent examination.
The Catholic Church has been rocked by a widening paedophilia scandal, with reports of abuse in Ireland, the United States, Germany and other countries.
The suspensions of Dutch priests follow a report by Radio Netherlands Worldwide and daily NRC Handelsbad that priests from the Salesian order abused pupils decades ago at a boarding school.
The report prompted victims to come forward and Dutch bishops last month offered their "deepest sympathy and apologies" in announcing an external, independent inquiry.
Just over a quarter of the Dutch population of 16 million are registered as Catholic, concentrated mainly in the southern part of the country.
Most of the alleged abuse has come from people who say they were raped or abused by Catholic priests in boarding schools 40 to 50 years ago.
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SIC: Reuters India