By BBC STAFF - BBC
Updated: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:48:57 UTC

Thanks to HardNosedSkeptic for the link

The former head of the Catholic Church in Belgium tried to stop a victim of sex abuse from going public with their story, Church officials have confirmed During a meeting in April, Cardinal Godfried Danneels advised the victim to delay a public statement until the bishop who abused him had retired.

Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, who was also at the meeting, admitted to the abuse in April and resigned.

The victim recorded the meeting, and released the tape to Belgian media.

On the tape, the cardinal tells the abuse victim: "It might be better to wait for a date in the next year, when he is due to resign.

"I don't know if there will be much to gain from making a lot of noise about this, neither for you nor for him."

Church spokesman Jurgen Mettepenningen confirmed that the transcripts were correct.
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TAGGED: ABUSE, RELIGION