Pope Francis described the Church's path toward reaching a “zero tolerance” policy on child abuse as “irreversible.”
In an interview with Reuters, the Pope recognized that in some national Catholic Churches, there was resistance to implementing procedures aimed at preventing child abuse.
Yet he added that “with each new step, there is growing awareness that this is the way to go.”
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has taken concrete measures to push the Church along that path. Just one year into his papacy, Pope Francis established the pontifical commission for the protection of minors, a body comprised of laypeople and the clergy which he recently placed at the heart of the Church's institutional organization.
CARD. SEAN O'MALLEY
President, Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
The Holy Father has given the commission a very clear mandate to animate the entire Church from within the Roman curia on the subject of child protection.
While critics say the Church is still not doing enough to prevent child abuse, Pope Francis said the structural change to give the commission a greater voice in the Church was “going well” and that he “totally supports” it.
JM
