Bishop urges victims of clergy abuses to speak out

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David has called on victims of clergy abuses to come out in the open and speak out. “If you are in this kind of situation, please don’t hesitate to talk directly to your bishops. Don’t be quiet about it,” David said over Radio Veritas. David, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), also urged the faithful to abandon the “culture of silence.” “The culture of silence is wrong at times … You have been victimized and yet you fear the embarrassment [of coming out in the open]. In reality you should find people who would be willing to help you address the issue,” he said.