By Ahmet Gencturk
ATHENS (AA) – Pope Francis denounced clerical sexual abuse as the Catholic Church’s shame, Vatican News agency reported on Friday.
“The Church, as she carries out her mission, must recognize the fragility and shortcomings of her members, and the painful counter-testimonies that appear throughout history,” the Pope said in an address to Belgian civil authorities during his visit to the country.
He added that the Church is committed to address the problem “by listening to and accompanying those who have been wounded, and by implementing a prevention program throughout the world.”
The 87-year-old pontiff insisted that the Church cannot make excuses, even if the majority of abuse occurs in families or schools. “In the Church, we must ask forgiveness for this,” he said. “This is our shame and our humiliation.”
Regarding the practice of forced adoptions, which was widespread in the mid-20th century, he said these practices were often carried out with good intentions.
On Thursday, Francis arrived in Belgium as part of a three-day apostolic visit dense with events and encounters.