'I find it intolerable' Pope Francis warns THOUSANDS of priests are paedophiles, by Dion Dassanayake, Express (UK) (July 13, 2014)

'I find it intolerable' Pope Francis warns THOUSANDS of priests are paedophiles

POPE Francis has reportedly said today that thousands of priests in the Catholic Church are paedophiles and described the child abuse as "leprosy".

The Pontif allegedly said it was infecting the "house" of Catholicism and that reliable data showed one in every 50 clergy members are paedophiles.

The Pope also vowed to confront child abuse within the church "with the severity it demands", according to the Italian La Repubblica newspaper.

He was quoted as saying: "Among the two per cent who are paedophiles are priests, bishops and cardinals.

"Others, more numerous, know but keep quiet.

"They punish without giving the reason.

"I find this state of affairs intolerable."

The figures the Pope allegedly referred to would represent 8,000 priests out of a global number of around 414,000 being paedophiles.

Accompanying the interview the Italian paper ran the headline "Pope says: Like Jesus, I shall use a stick against paedophile priests."

The 77-year-old was quoted as warning the figures could be even higher because some abuse victims had stayed silent through corruption of fear.

A Vatican spokesman said the quotes did not mirror exactly what the Pope said.

Father Federico Lombardi denied that the Pope had said there were cardinals who were paedophiles.

The reports come after the Pope met victims of the clerical paedophile scandal during a private mass at the Vatican.

He met six abuse survivors last Monday July 7 who were British, Irish and German and apologised for "the sins of omission on the part of Church leaders".

He said: "Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you.

"And I humbly ask forgiveness."