According to the BBC, Pope Francis addressed for the first time in public the topic of sex abuse within the Church, urging the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, a Vatican watchdog, to take action on the issue. While the group deals largely with this problem, action had not previously been taken under Pope Benedict XVI, whom many claim covered up sexual abuse cases before resigning earlier this year.
The BBC writes:
A leading sex abuse survivors’ group has responded with scepticism, saying “actions speak louder than words”.
…
In his remarks on Friday, Pope Francis said combating the crisis – which has mired the Church in scandal from the US, Ireland and Europe to Australia – was important for the credibility of the Church.
A Vatican statement said the Pope had urged Bishop Mueller to “act decisively as far as cases of sexual abuse are concerned, promoting, above all, measures to protect minors, help for those who have suffered such violence in the past (and) the necessary procedures against those who are guilty”.
Read more at BBC.
This news brief was written by Kaitlin Higgins, editorial assistant for The Burton Wire.
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