From the Vatican News website:
Pope Francis met on Friday morning with Chilean Bishop Juan Ignacio González of San Bernardo and Ana Maria Celis Brunet, President of the Chilean National Council for Abuse Prevention and the Care for Victims.
The meeting took place at the Pope's residence in the Casa Santa Marta.
A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the purpose of the meeting was "to update each other and exchange opinions on the steps being taken in Chile to address the cases of abuse and ensure they never happen again."
A key part of their discussions focused on the suffering of the victims and their need to find consolation and redress.
The statement said Pope Francis has paid close attention to every step taken by the Chilean Bishops' Conference, and expressed the Pope's desire "that all questions be clarified in order to give a just response to all."
Certainly, the Holy Father is to be commended for his diligence in overseeing the efforts the Chilean Bishops’ Conference is taking collectively and each Bishop individually to address the crimes committed against children and youth and to see that justice is done toward the victims as well.
What remains curious indeed is the Pope’s lack of equivalent response in the case of the recent scandals related to Cardinal McCarrick and the secrecy with which they were protected by Clergy in positions of authority and influence.
On account of this disparity of Papal oversight, Pope Francis’ actions seem arbitrary and whimsical.
The People of God everywhere have a right to equal protection and equal justice, a right Pope Francis continues to deny them by not establishing universal protocols to be employed in the event of criminal misdeeds by all Clergy, no matter their ecclesiastical rank or status.
Thus far, Pope Francis’ engagement and response has been far from laudatory.
We continue to pray that the Holy Spirit inspire him to understand the gravity of the scandals and to establish a pathway by which they may be reconciled and resolved.
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