Pope Francis urges zero tolerance policy on pedophilia
Max Civili
Press TV, Rome
Pope Francis' new letter, addressed to bishops’ conferences and to the superiors of religious orders around the world, calls on local churches to abide by a zero tolerance policy on child sexual abuse. In his message, the pope says the Catholic Church must finally rid itself of the scourge of pedophilia and warns ecclesiastics that any intention to avoid scandal must be made a lower priority to child safety and protection.
The pontiff's letter to the bishops was sent ahead of the first meeting of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors that is to commence on Friday.
In December 2013, Pope Francis set up a commission of seventeen experts which includes laypeople, survivors of sexual abuse, priests and nuns with the goal to prevent and combat child abuse inside the Church. However, skeptics have complained about the time it has taken to get the new commission up and running, especially compared to the pace at which other reforms under the pontiff are moving.
It is estimated that over 100,000 people from a vast array of countries were victims of sexual violence perpetrated by the Church between the years 1980 to 2005. This figure is likely to rise as more cases continue to come to light in Latin America and Africa.
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