Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, the head of the Catholic Church in Belgium, described former-Bishop Roger Vangheluwe's TV confession that he had sexually abused two of his nephews as "inappropriate and shocking".

During the interview Vangheluwe described the abuse with one of his nephews as "a kind of game".

Disturbed by Vangheluwe's detached and vacant tone, Archbishop Leonard said "He should not have spoken".

After the first scandal, the Vatican ordered Vangheluwe to seek "spiritual and psychological treatment" at a church community at La Ferte-Imbault in France, and to stay out of the public eye.

Following the interview, which outraged many in Belgium and drew a sharp denunciation from the Council of Bishops, there have been calls for him to be prosecuted.

He has since disappeared from his French religious community.

The case has plunged the Belgian Catholic Church into new turmoil, with several bishops asking the Vatican to act quickly.

Sources

• Image: InfoWars
• France 24

The head of the Brotherhood of Jerusalem, Mont-Saint Michel monastery said Vangheluwe had indicated on Saturday that he would leave shortly but could not say where he was going.

Vangheluwe, who resigned a year ago as bishop of Bruges after admitting that he had sexually abused one of his young nephews, confessed on TV that he also abused another nephew.

Vangheluwe viewed the abuse as a "game" and does not have an impression of himself being a pedophile.

After admitting the abuse of his first nephew, the Vatican ordered him to seek "spiritual and psychological treatment and to stay out of the public eye.

"The subsequent television interview outraged many and drew a sharp denunciation from the Council of Bishops.

"The interview is extremely offensive to the victims, their families and all who face the problem of sexual abuse.

"It is slap in the face to the faithful as well. Everyone, ourselves included, is undoubtedly upset and troubled.

"The tone of the interview is completely at odds with the efforts made in recent months to take the problem of sexual abuse seriously, listen to the victims and determine the appropriate measures to take," the Bishops said in a statement.

The case plunged the Belgian Catholic Church anew into turmoil, with several bishops asking the Vatican to act quickly to punish Vangheluwe.

Fr Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, told reporters that the Vatican was "conscious of the gravity" of the matter and was preparing to launch an "in-depth evaluation."

A definitive decision on Vangheluwe's future will need the approval of the Pope he said.

Walter Van Steenbrugge, the lawyer for the nephew, denied Vangheluwe's claim that he paid the victim, now in his forties, €25,000 several times over.

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• France 24
• Radio Netherlands