Pope Francis Declares Zero Tolerance for Clergies Who Violate Minors; Compares Child Sex Abuse to Satanic Mass, by Vittorio Hernandez, nternational Business Times (May 27, 2014)

Pope Francis Declares Zero Tolerance for Clergies Who Violate Minors; Compares Child Sex Abuse to Satanic Mass

By Vittorio Hernandez
nternational Business Times
May 27, 2014

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/553771/20140527/pope-francis-declares-zero-tolerance-clergies-who.htm#.U4Rl__ldWSo

Pope Francis touches the statue of Virgin Mary as he arrives for the canonisation ceremony of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 27, 2014. Pope John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963 and called the modernising Second Vatican Council, and Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly 27 years before his death in 2005 and whose trips around the world made him the most visible pope in history, will be declared saints by Pope Francis at an unprecedented twin canonisation on Sunday.

Fresh from his trip to the Holy Land, Pope Francis announced a renewed war against sex abuse, particularly of minors. He declared to media while aboard a plane returning to Rome that he has a zero tolerance for members of the clergy involved in child abuse scandals.

He disclosed that the Vatican is investigating three bishops on abuse-related charges, but the pontiff did not clarify if the bishops were the perpetrators or tried to cover it up.

As part of his zero tolerance policy, the pope has scheduled a meeting with half-dozen sex abuse victims, which would be a first for Pope Francis. The meeting, which would include a Mass, would be held in June at the Vatican dorm where the pontiff is staying.

Boston Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, who heads a commission the pope established to study ways of dealing with the problem, will attend the event.

In his toughest talk about sex abuse, Pope Francis was quoted by RTE.ie as saying, "Sexual abuse is such an ugly crime ... because a priest who does this betrays the body of the Lord. It is like a satanic mass."

However, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), belittled the meaning as "just utterly, utterly meaningless."

SNAP Executive Director David Clohessy, said, quoted by CBS News, "The simple truth is this is another gesture, another public relations coup, another nice bit of symbolism that will leave no child better off and bring no real reform to a continuing, scandal-ridden church hierarchy."