Francis Continues Benedict Xvi's Crusade against Paedophilia

By Alessandro Speciale
Vatican Insider
June 4, 2013

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/pedofilia-paedhopilia-chiesa-church-iglesia-25371/

Some of the participants at the Symposium held at the Gerorian University last year

Today the Pope encouraged Church workers and organisations to move ahead with their commitment to combating child sex abuse

After this morning’s mass in St. Martha’s House, the Pope encouraged the Pontifical Gregorian University's Hans Zollner, head of the Centre for the Protection of Children, to "move ahead with the commitment against child sex abuse.”

Fr. Zollner told Vatican Radio that “after the mass, we had a chance to greet the Pope. There were three of us from the Gregorian University Centre for Child Protection. We presented the project to the Pope. I was joined by our Polish representative and the person who is helping me prepare the canonical and theological education units for the long-distance learning programme we want to introduce worldwide. The Pope listened very carefully, stressing on a number of occasions how important our work was.”

The encouragement given by Francis for the anti-paedophilia efforts to continue, follows on from Benedict XVI’s work. Francis himself sent out a message during the Angelus prayer last 5 May, inviting us to work for the good of the most vulnerable and children.”

This is in continuity with Benedict XVI’s work in the field. Four months ago we presented him with the proceedings of the symposium we celebrated at the Gregorian University in February 2012. The symposium was attended by bishops’ conferences from all around the world, who discussed ways to prevent crimes against children.”