In continuing developments surrounding the scandal of sexual abuse of minors by Priests which has shocked the Church in Chile and resulted in the mass resignation of all the Bishops of that country, the Holy See has announced that Pope Francis will meet with other victims of abuse.
The Holy Father will be meeting (from June 1-3) with a second group of victims of the Reverend Fernando Karadima and other followers of the parish of the Sagrado Corazón de Providencia (“El Bosque”).
They are five Priests who were victims of abuse of power and conscience, and of sexual abuse. Together with them there will also be two Priests who have assisted the victims in their legal and spiritual journey, and two laypersons involved in this suffering.
They will all be guests of the Holy Father at the Casa Santa Marta.
With this new meeting, planned a month ago, Pope Francis wishes to demonstrate his closeness to the abused priests, to accompany them in their suffering and to listen to their valuable opinion to improve the current measures for the prevention and countering of abuse in the Church.
This gathering concludes the first phase of meetings that the Holy Father wished to have with the victims of the abusive system established around a decade ago. Similar initiatives may be repeated in the future.
The Holy Father continues to ask the faithful of Chile – and especially the faithful of the parishes where these priests carry out their pastoral mission – to accompany them with prayer and solidarity during these days.
We join with the Holy Father in recognizing the suffering this has caused the victims and the Church itself in Chile and ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of healing and the fortitude to carry on with the work of securing justice for those harmed and protection for the innocent against future sexual abuse at the hands of those entrusted with the pastoral care of God’s People.
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