"The end of a nightmare." Father Paolo Contini can finally breathe a sigh of relief after a years-long battle to uncover the truth. The ecclesiastical court has just convicted Valerio Manca, known as Father Emmanuele, of abuse at the San Francesco college in Oristano . And for Father Paolo, this marks the end of a story that has affected him since he was little more than a child.
He was 14 when he suffered the abuse in the minor seminary of the Franciscan monastery. It was a trauma he carried inside in silence until three years ago when he found the courage and the evidence to report it. "It all started with a request to have him perform a baptism, then that message of condolences for my mother's death signed Fr. E," he says, "I immediately thought of him, and after a few days I replied and had confirmation."
There was an exchange of messages in which Father Emanuele attempted to justify his behavior in the seminary while also providing crucial admissions and evidence. "At that point, I found the strength to report and make public what had happened."
It wasn't an easy journey; the process was long, and over the years, "people's support and the attention of the internet were crucial," she says, "not just for me but also for the Church because there were people who were watching, and not just spiritually."
The trial revealed "a painful reality, but also a truth that needed to be revealed and punished. I was just a child; I had mistaken those attentions for affection. Only later did I understand that wasn't the case."
The ruling marks a turning point. "I hope the Church will also learn from this experience to change," he reiterates. "Mine has never been a complaint against the Church, but rather in and for the Church." Today he thanks the priests who stood by him and the many people who supported him.
Has he managed to forgive? "I forgave him many years ago, otherwise I would never have made it and would never have been free. Now he has time to reflect, the chance to seize this opportunity and seek redemption. But we must start from the truth."