- AMSTERDAM: The Dutch Catholic Church and the Salesian order say they will investigate revelations one of the order’s priests served on the board of an organization that promotes pedophilia — with the knowledge of the order’s top official in the Netherlands.
The official, delegate Herman Spronck, confirmed in a statement that the priest identified as “Father Van B.” served on the board of the “Martijn” organization, which advocates adult-child sex.
However, Spronck’s own superior in Belgium says he will investigate both Spronck and Van B., after Spronck was quoted by RTL Nieuws as saying such relationships aren’t always harmful.
Church spokesman Pieter Kohnen said Saturday that even with sex abuse scandals rocking Catholicism, this case was “unbelievable.”