Pope Francis Has Said Some Sickening Things, But His Attack on Pedophile Victims Is the Worst
Pope Francis visited South America this week, and one of his stated goals was to heal the wounds of sex abuse scandals that have crippled the Catholic Church’s credibility for years.
Ironically, the trip turned out do just the opposite after the pope accused some of the victims of slander.
Speaking during mass in Santiago, the pope offered apologies to the victims, but said some of them committed slander when they accused Bishop Juan Barros of trying to cover up alleged sexual abuse by Rev. Fernando Karadima, The Associated Press reported.
Francis acknowledged victims who felt betrayed, but said that until he saw proof that Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the bishop, such accusations were “all calumny.”
“The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I’ll speak,” Francis said, CBS News reported.
“There is not one shred of proof against him. It’s all calumny. Is that clear?” he said.
Naturally, many were shocked by his comments.
Victims rebuked the pope’s remarks, CBS News reported.
Juan Carlos Cruz was one of the bishop’s accusers, and he expressed outraged at the pope’s remarks.
“Does he need a photo, a selfie, as proof? Sorry Austen, we didn’t think of it as we were being abused and Juan Barros watching,” he tweeted.
https://twitter.com/jccruzchellew/status/953994893063589888
CBS News reported that Karadima’s victims reported abuse to the church as early as 2002, but officials did not believe them. It was only when victims went public with their accusations in 2010 that the Vatican launched an investigation.
In 2011, the Vatican found Karadima guilty of abusing teenage boys sentenced him to a lifetime of “penance and prayer,” USA Today reported. The bishop was also removed from ministry.
Barros denied the accusations.
It does not help the matter that the pope offered support to the bishop during this time. In 2015, Francis appointed Barros as the Bishop of Osorno despite opposition.
The sex scandal has rocked the Catholic church for years, and while the pope has said some sickening things in the past, it is especially sad to hear him say such things about victims of sex abuse.
H/T U.K. Daily Mail
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