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Church sex crimes
Pope Francis has summoned over 100 bishops from all over the world to attend a summit on child sexual abuse and other sexual assaults at the Vatican
P
span>Pope Francis has summoned over 100 bishops from all over the world to attend a summit on child sexual abuse and other sexual assaults at the Vatican. A church historian reportedly described the crisis the most serious in the Catholic church since the Reformation.
“From Thursday to next Sunday there will be a meeting in the Vatican of the presidents of all episcopal conferences on […] the protection of minors in the church. I invite you to pray for this meeting, which I wanted as an act of strong pastoral responsibility to face an urgent challenge of our time,” Pope Francis said in his weekly address at St. Peter’s Square.
The pope has demonstrated strong will to be open about the embarrassing conduct of priests and church officials to the public amid strong resistance from conservative bishops who continue their shameless campaign to prevent Pope Francis from taking punitive actions against the predators.
Late last year, the pope vowed that the church would no longer cover up sexual abuse and bring all perpetrators to justice. He warned abusive priests and bishops to “hand yourself over to human justice and prepare for divine justice”.
Pope Francis recently defrocked United States cardinal archbishop emeritus Theodore McCarrick over accusations that he sexually abused a teenager 50 years ago. Last year, he removed an Indonesian bishop who was accused of impregnating a woman and stealing church money to give to his mistress.
For decades, the church has shoved sexual assault under the carpet. Church leaders in Europe, Latin America and the US used the pretext that such scandals are sins and pretended not to know that it was not just a sin but a serious crime. Church leaders in Asia and Africa also defend their innocence as if the systemic crimes only occur in the developed world.
The Catholic church requires celibacy for priests to allow them to focus completely on their flock and follow Jesus, who was unmarried. Only the unmarried can be ordained to the priesthood. In the last few decades, strong movements have attempted to push the Vatican to drop the rule and allow priests to marry, but all popes have rejected the idea. The Catholic faithful are waiting for the outcome of the papal summit. The Vatican should dare to punish the sexual abusers, who abuse their position to satisfy their lust.
