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Pope Is to Meet Sex Abuse Victims Pope Is to Meet Sex Abuse Victims
(about 1 hour later)
ROME — Pope Francis says he plans to meet soon with abuse victims to underscore the Vatican’s determination to “press forward” with “zero tolerance” toward clergy accused of abusing minors. ROME — Pope Francis says he plans to meet soon with abuse victims to underscore the Vatican’s determination to “move forward” with “zero tolerance” toward clergy accused of abusing minors.
In an off-the-cuff news conference as he returned from the Holy Land on Monday night, the pope spent more than an hour addressing a variety of questions from reporters aboard his plane, on topics like papal retirement and priestly celibacy. He also said the Vatican was investigating three bishops over sexual abuse allegations and had found one guilty. “We are studying the penalty he will have to face,” Francis said. “There are no privileges.” In an off-the-cuff news conference as he returned from the Holy Land on Monday night, the pope spent about 40 minutes addressing a variety of questions from reporters aboard his plane, on topics like papal retirement and priestly celibacy. He also said the Vatican was investigating three bishops over sexual abuse allegations and had found one guilty. “We are now considering the penalty to be imposed,” Francis said. “There are no privileges.”
The pope announced that he would celebrate Mass with eight abuse victims in the small church inside the guesthouse where he lives at the Vatican. The victims, from various countries, including Britain and Germany, will be accompanied by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, one of the eight members of a Vatican commission created last year by Pope Francis to advise him on sex abuse policy. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Tuesday that no date for the meeting had been set. He did not offer any more details about the bishops, and the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Tuesday that he could not elaborate on their cases, including whether they were accused of sexual abuse or of covering it up.
The pope announced that he would celebrate Mass with eight abuse victims in the small church inside the guesthouse where he lives at the Vatican. The victims, from various countries, including Britain and Germany, will be accompanied by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, one of the eight members of a Vatican commission created last year by Pope Francis to advise him on sex abuse policy. Father Lombardi said Tuesday that no date for the meeting had been set.
It will be the first time that the pope meets personally with victims of clergy abuse, a gesture his predecessors Benedict XVI and John Paul II made several times. “The abuse of minors is a very ugly” and “serious” crime comparable to sacrilege, Francis said.It will be the first time that the pope meets personally with victims of clergy abuse, a gesture his predecessors Benedict XVI and John Paul II made several times. “The abuse of minors is a very ugly” and “serious” crime comparable to sacrilege, Francis said.
But Joelle Casteix, western regional director of a victims’ organization, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said in a statement that Pope Francis’ personal overture to victims would change nothing and would allow vulnerable children to remain at risk.But Joelle Casteix, western regional director of a victims’ organization, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said in a statement that Pope Francis’ personal overture to victims would change nothing and would allow vulnerable children to remain at risk.
“No child rape will be prevented, no abuse cover-up will be prevented and no predator priest will be exposed by anything the pope said today or will do next month,” Ms. Casteix said. “His upcoming and self-serving meeting with victims is more of what we’ve seen for decades: more gestures, promises, symbolism and public relations.”“No child rape will be prevented, no abuse cover-up will be prevented and no predator priest will be exposed by anything the pope said today or will do next month,” Ms. Casteix said. “His upcoming and self-serving meeting with victims is more of what we’ve seen for decades: more gestures, promises, symbolism and public relations.”
Bishop Accountability, a private Boston-based group that documents cases of sexual abuse by priests, called the meeting a “welcome and overdue change,” asserting that the pope, who “refused to meet with victims of clergy abuse” as archbishop of Buenos Aires, would “open himself to be changed deeply” by the encounter. Bishop Accountability, a private Boston-based group that documents cases of sexual abuse by priests, called the meeting a “welcome and overdue change,” as long as the pope, who “refused to meet with victims of clergy abuse” as archbishop of Buenos Aires, would “open himself to be changed deeply” by the encounter.
On Friday, the United Nations Committee Against Torture called on the Vatican to “take effective measures” to better monitor the behavior of the clergy and prevent abuse. The committee said it was concerned about reports that some church officials continued to resist the principle of mandatory reporting to civil authorities, despite guidelines from the Vatican instructing otherwise.On Friday, the United Nations Committee Against Torture called on the Vatican to “take effective measures” to better monitor the behavior of the clergy and prevent abuse. The committee said it was concerned about reports that some church officials continued to resist the principle of mandatory reporting to civil authorities, despite guidelines from the Vatican instructing otherwise.
On the subject of papal retirement, Pope Francis said his immediate predecessor, Pope Benedict, “has opened a door, the door of pope emeriti; only God knows if there will be others.”On the subject of papal retirement, Pope Francis said his immediate predecessor, Pope Benedict, “has opened a door, the door of pope emeriti; only God knows if there will be others.”
Responding to a question about the issue of communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, which will be discussed in the Synod on the Family, to be held in October, “Pope Francis lamented that the entire synod should be boiled down to this one issue,” Vatican Radio wrote in its account of the news conference. Responding to a question about the issue of communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, which will be discussed in the Synod on the Family, to be held in October, Pope Francis was annoyed that the issue predominated the pre-synodal discussion. “I do not like the fact that many people, even within the Church, have said that it will be the Synod about remarried divorcees, as if it could simply be reduced to a case study: Can they receive communion or not?” the pope said. “The issue is much broader,” affecting various aspects of the family, which is in crisis.
He also spoke of priestly celibacy, intimating that it was an issue open to discussion. Celibacy “is a rule of life that I much appreciate and think is a gift to the church,” he said. “But as it is not a dogma; the door is always open.” He said it took the back burner to more pressing topics, however. He also spoke of priestly celibacy, intimating that it was an issue open to discussion. Celibacy “is a rule of life that I greatly appreciate, as I believe is a gift for the church,” he said. “But since it is not a dogma; the door is always open.” He said it took the back burner to more pressing topics, however.
Priests’ organizations in Austria, Ireland and the United States have been calling for the church to re-examine the celibacy requirement for years, and some bishops in Europe and Africa have also gone on record saying the church should consider this step. Many organizations of liberal Catholic laypeople around the world also advocate abandoning the celibacy rule, and polls in the United States show that a majority of Roman Catholics favor allowing priests to marry.Priests’ organizations in Austria, Ireland and the United States have been calling for the church to re-examine the celibacy requirement for years, and some bishops in Europe and Africa have also gone on record saying the church should consider this step. Many organizations of liberal Catholic laypeople around the world also advocate abandoning the celibacy rule, and polls in the United States show that a majority of Roman Catholics favor allowing priests to marry.
The shortage of priests in the United States and Europe has brought the issue to the forefront. Studies have shown that the celibacy requirement is a major deterrent to young men considering the priesthood.The shortage of priests in the United States and Europe has brought the issue to the forefront. Studies have shown that the celibacy requirement is a major deterrent to young men considering the priesthood.
Pope Benedict XVI also took a step that contributed to the growing debate on this issue when he created a mechanism for welcoming priests from the Anglican Communion to serve in the Roman Catholic Church. Many of those Anglican priests are married and have children, and as more of them serve successfully in parishes it has prompted some laypeople to question why Catholic priests are still barred from marrying.Pope Benedict XVI also took a step that contributed to the growing debate on this issue when he created a mechanism for welcoming priests from the Anglican Communion to serve in the Roman Catholic Church. Many of those Anglican priests are married and have children, and as more of them serve successfully in parishes it has prompted some laypeople to question why Catholic priests are still barred from marrying.
Earlier this month, the pope received a letter signed by 26 women who described themselves as in a constrained and secretive relationship with a priest or a monk, asking the pope to “break down the wall of silence and indifference that we are faced with every day.”Earlier this month, the pope received a letter signed by 26 women who described themselves as in a constrained and secretive relationship with a priest or a monk, asking the pope to “break down the wall of silence and indifference that we are faced with every day.”
“We humbly place our suffering at your feet in the hope that something may change, not just for us, but for the good of the entire church,” the women wrote in the letter, published by The Vatican Insider. “The only other alternatives are either for the priest to abandon the priesthood or for the relationship to carry on in secret,” in both cases causing the priests to deny their calling.“We humbly place our suffering at your feet in the hope that something may change, not just for us, but for the good of the entire church,” the women wrote in the letter, published by The Vatican Insider. “The only other alternatives are either for the priest to abandon the priesthood or for the relationship to carry on in secret,” in both cases causing the priests to deny their calling.