Cardinal Blázquez admits Church probably came late to abuse issue

Cardinal Ricardo Blázquez, archbishop emeritus of Valladolid and former president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, said the Church likely arrived late in addressing sexual abuse. Speaking in a video podcast released on October 29 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Blázquez noted that families and societies also arrived late to this issue.

Blázquez, who led the Spanish Episcopal Conference from 2005 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2020, identified the February 2019 meeting in the Vatican, called by Pope Francis, as a significant moment of awareness. He stated that the meeting allowed leaders to speak freely about the inadequacy of previous responses to the crisis.

The cardinal noted that abuse extends beyond sexual misconduct to include abuses of authority, power, and conscience. He said the Spanish Episcopal Conference has since taken consistent steps toward addressing these issues, specifically through dialogue and personal meetings with victims.