Pope Francis met with victims of child sexual abuse on Sunday on the final day of his US visit and promised to hold accountable those responsible for the scandal in the church, delivering a powerful warning to American bishops accused of covering up for pedophile priests instead of reporting them to police. The pontiff disclosed the gesture of reconciliation at the start of a meeting with American bishops gathered in Philadelphia for a big rally on Catholic families.
But in a move that signaled a new effort by the church to redirect the discussion, the Vatican said not all five of the victims were abused by members of the clergy; some of the three women and two men had been victimized by family members or educators.
Francis praised the victims as “true heralds of mercy” who deserve the church’s gratitude for their “essential contribution” toward establishing the truth. Saying sex abuse in the church can no longer be kept a secret, he promised to “zealously” protect young people and see that “all those responsible are held accountable.”
The pope has agreed to create a new Vatican tribunal to prosecute bishops who failed to protect their flock by covering up for pedophile priests.