In February, Pope Francis traveled to Abu Dhabi and became the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula.
The reception in the royal palace was one of the most spectacular in living memory.
During this trip, the pope signed together with the Great Imam Al-Tayeb an important declaration in promoting Universal Human Fraternity, against the use of religion to justify violence.
POPE FRANCIS
“In the name of God the Creator, all forms of violence are condemned without hesitation, because they are a serious desecration of the Name of God.”
The document lists some fundamental rights that the two leaders support. They also pledged to protect and defend the rights of women, the elderly, children and minorities.
The pope also celebrated Mass for Catholics in the region. Out of the one million Catholics who live there, most of them foreign workers, there was only 100,000 were able to attend.
POPE FRANCIS
“It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future. The Lord is faithful and does not abandon His people.”
In February Pope Francis met with the presidents of all episcopal conferences to address the issue of sexual abuse.
Coinciding with the meeting, several groups of victims took their petitions to the Vatican.
TIM LAW
President ECA Founding/Board Member
“We are most interested in 'zero tolerance' of clergy abuse. Zero tolerance for cover-up by the bishops and leadership. Pope Francis has talked about that for six years, but it needs to be made universal.”
The summit lasted three days with cardinals, but also women such as a Vatican employee, a nun and a journalist. Three issues were addressed: bishops' responsibility, accountability and transparency.
POPE FRANCIS“The holy people of God look to us and expect from us not simple and discounted condemnations but concrete and effective measures. We must be concrete.”
The pope closed the meeting by launching an 8-point strategy. He asked that priority be given to the victims; that no abuse be covered up; and the seminarians be well selected.
POPE FRANCIS
'(These parameters) serve as rules and not simply indications. No abuse should ever be covered up (as was often the case in the past) or not taken seriously sufficiently, since the covering up of abuses favors the spread of evil and adds a further level of scandal.”
In February, there were two serious reports of cardinals.
Card. George Pell entered prison after an Australian court convicted him of child abuse. He has maintained his innocence since the case came to light.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
June 29, 2017
“I'm innocent of these charges.”
During mid-February, the pope laicized former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick from the priesthood. He had been archbishop of Washington and considered guilty of abuse of minors as well as adults, with the aggravating circumstance of abuse of power.
It is the first time that someone has been expelled from the priesthood for abuse of adults.
On the other hand, Pope Francis also elected a new cardinal camerlengo. This is Kevin Farrell. He would temporarily become Head of the Vatican State in the event of the resignation or death of the pope. During those days, until a new pope is elected, he will be in charge of administering the temporal goods of the Holy See.
