Pope condemns sexual abuse in the Church
Pope Francis has condemned years of sexual abuse in the Church during a speech at Laeken Castle in Brussels. He also said the Church must ask for forgiveness.
"Brothers and sisters, this is a disgrace that we have to face. We must ask for forgiveness to solve the problem," he said, deviating from his prepared text. "The Church must be ashamed and ask for forgiveness. It must resolve this issue with Christian humility and do everything possible to ensure that this never happens again."
The pope called the abuse a "scourge, which the Church is tackling vigorously and decisively by listening to and counselling the victims, and setting up a prevention programme around the world". He also said he was "saddened" by the practice of forced adoptions that took place in Belgium between the 1950s and 1970s.
Pope Francis arrived at Laeken Castle at 9.30 on Friday, where he was received by the royal couple at the start of his visit to Belgium. He is due to meet a small number of victims of sexual abuse during his time in the country.
King Philippe paid tribute to the victims of sexual violence within the Church in his own speech welcoming the pope to Belgium.
“Children have been horribly bruised, scarred for life. The same goes for the victims of forced adoptions,” he said. “It took so long for their cries to be heard and recognised. It has taken so long to find ways of ‘repairing’ the irreparable.”
He went on to encourage the Church in Belgium to “resolutely” pursue the efforts to make amends, “without respite”.
"Belgians invite you to reflect on the challenges of our modern society. I hope your time in our country will bring new insights"
Prime minister Alexander De Croo also called for justice for victims of abuse and for concrete measures to make amends. “Victims must be heard. They must be at the centre. They have a right to the truth,” he said, describing it as “not only a moral obligation, but also a necessary step towards regaining trust”.
“We cannot ignore the painful wounds that exist within the Catholic community and society at large,” he said. “The many cases of sexual violence and forced adoptions have seriously damaged trust. When something goes wrong, we cannot accept a cover-up.
Human dignity
“The atrocities must be acknowledged. And justice must be done. Human dignity must take precedence over the interests of the institution. To be able to look to the future again, the Church must come to terms with its past. Belgians invite you to reflect on the challenges of our modern society. I hope your time in our country will bring new insights.”
Pope Francis is visiting Belgium to mark the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic University of Leuven, now KU Leuven and its francophone sister institution, UC Louvain, in Louvain-la-Neuve.
He will visit KU Leuven on Friday afternoon, before travelling to Brussels and Louvain-la-Neuve on Saturday. His visit concludes with a Mass at the King Baudouin Stadium on Sunday morning.
#FlandersNewsService | Queen Mathilde, Pope Francis, King Philippe and prime minister Alexander De Croo at the Royal Castle in Laeken, Brussels, 27 September 2024 © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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