Exclusive Pope Francis
Title: Exclusive: Pope Francis calls steps against clerical abuse irreversible, despite resistance
Author: Philip Pullella
Publisher: Reuters
Date: 08JUL2022
VATICAN CITY, July 8 (Reuters) – Pope Francis has acknowledged that there is resistance by some national Catholic Churches on implementing measures to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy but said that there is no turning back on an “irreversible” path.
Sexual abuse in the Church and measures to combat it were among one of the many Church and international topics the 85-year-old pontiff discussed in an exclusive interview with Reuters in his Vatican residence on July 2. read more .
In 2019 Francis issued a papal directive ordering “public, stable and easily accessible systems for submission” of reports of sexual abuse in dioceses around the world. read more .
Some countries, such as the United States, established procedures, sometimes known as “listening centres”, even before the 2019 directive, but others, particularly in the developing world, have been slow to conform.
“There is resistance, but with each new step there is growing awareness that this is the way to go,” Francis said.
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