Pope Francis to meet Irish abuse survivors in Vatican

IRELAND
The Irish Catholic

by Michael Kelly
June 26, 2014

EXCLUSIVE

Irish survivors of clerical abuse will travel to Rome next week for a key meeting with Pope Francis The Irish Catholic has learned.

It will be the first time since his election that the Pontiff has met with those who have been abused by priests and religious to hear of their experiences. Francis has promised to continue a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to abuse.

The Irish Catholic understands that a number of Irish survivors will travel for the encounter which is expected to take place next weekend at the Vatican guesthouse where the Pope has made his home.

It is understood that they will be accompanied by survivors of clerical abuse from other parts of the world including Britain, the United States and Poland.

The encounter with the Pope, which Vatican sources say will afford survivors the opportunity to recount their suffering first-hand to Francis, will be private. Survivors will then be able to decide whether or not they want to speak to the media about the papal meeting with many expected to remain anonymous.

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