Accused in church abuse case described as 'fragile' and 'imperfect'

At his funeral, the Regional Provincial of the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP), Brother Louis Mallia described Brother Bonnet as a “fragile person who was not perfect, but believed in another life.”.

Brother Joe Bonnet died last week of bone cancer at the age of 63.

During his homily, Brother Mallia compared Brother Bonnet’s life to that of Job: one full of pain and suffering. He said that in the last months Brother Bonnet had become a different person, fragile but optimistic; a person whose spirit was destroyed but whose will was strong.

“He used to tell me his physical stress was psychological. Once this thing is solved, everything will pass!” Brother Mallia said, adding he will always remember Brother Bonnet as a busy person who was always ready to lend a helping hand in the community.

The Regional Provincial recalled how a young Bonnet had showed interest in joining the MSSP. “He told us he wanted to serve and help others,” Brother Mallia said.

Brother Bonnet stands charged together with other three members of the clergy with abusing a number of children while under their care at St Joseph Home in Sta Venera.

This case has been fueled by more controversy once it was revealed that Health Minister Joe Cassar, at the time a psychiatrist and consultant at Mount Carmel Hospital, had testified in court.

Whilst confirming this, Cassar had issued a statement in which he denied allegations of ever taking sides.

The statement followed a letter sent to Pope Benedict XVI by the priest sex abuse victims, and published on La Repubblica, in which they claimed that “in Malta church, political power and the judiciary are all one of the same thing … so much so that even a minister is testifying in court in favour of the priests.”

Brother Bonnet died earlier this month at the age of 63, at the clergy’s house in Birkirkara.