Pope Francis said the Catholic Church must "act decisively" against the scourge of paedophile priests, in his first public remarks on the scandal since being elected last month.
Pope Francis during Easter Mass in the Vatican Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Tackling the sexual abuse of children by clergymen was vital for restoring the "credibility"
of the Church worldwide, Francis
said.
He issued the declaration after holding a meeting with Archbishop Gerhard
Muller, the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the
Vatican department which investigates cases of sexual abuse and decides if
priests should be defrocked.
"The Holy Father in particular asked that the Congregation, continuing
the line adopted by Benedict XVI, act decisively in cases of sexual abuse,
promoting above all measures to protect minors, help for those who in the
past suffered such violence and the necessary procedures against those who
are guilty," the Vatican said in a statement.
"The Holy Father gave assurances that the victims of abuse are
particularly in his prayers." Francis, the former archbishop of Buenos
Aires, instructed bishops around the world to take a tough line on abusive
priests, in order to rebuild the credibility of the Church.
The Catholic Church has been mired in scandal over paedophile priests for more
than a decade, since the first scandals erupted in the United States in 2002.
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