Children
Abuse
During most of the 14 years that Bergoglio served as archbishop of Buenos Aires, rights advocates say, he did not take decisive action to protect children or act swiftly when molestation charges against Church clergy surfaced; nor did he extend apologies and compensation to the victims of abusive priests after their misconduct came to light.[319] Later, Argentina was among 25% of bishops conferences that did not reach the deadline for putting policies in place to deal with complaints and priests accused of abuse.[320][321]
Pope Francis told Gerhard Ludwig Müller, who leads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and is the Vatican official in charge of dealing with the crisis, to act decisively, protect minors, help victims of past abuse and introduce unspecified "necessary procedures" against perpetrators who should be punished.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called for action instead of words.[322][323][324] Others, including Jeffrey Anderson, an attorney who fought many court cases on behalf of abuse victims, are hopeful that Francis will act to protect children.[320][325]
In October 2007, Bergoglio denounced the tolerance of child abuse, which he called "demographic terrorism".
He told a conference:[326]
Children are mistreated, and are not educated or fed. Many are made into prostitutes and exploited. And this happens here in Buenos Aires, in the great city of the south. Child prostitution is offered in some five star hotels: it is included in the entertainment menu, under the heading "Other".
In 2011, Bergoglio again condemned child trafficking and sex slavery in Buenos Aires:[276]
In this city, there are many girls who stop playing with dolls to enter the dump of a brothel because they were stolen, sold, betrayed ... In this city, women and girls are kidnapped, and they are subjected to use and abuse of their body; they are destroyed in their dignity. The flesh that Jesus assumed and died for is worth less than the flesh of a pet. A dog is cared for better than these slaves of ours, who are kicked, who are broken.
The Holy See under Francis failed to provide information about child sex abuse within the Roman Catholic Church to a UN Committee, "The Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). [327]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis
Apparently, this is happening now with reports prepared for the UN. I read on DU early on that he said he would have a zero tolerance policy and such priests would be turned over to government authorities for punishment. That is a seachange for the Pope to acknowledge the moral authority of government, IMO.
I've read of priests turned over and prosecuted, a big change, but am having trouble on search results. And no matter what, people will not change their minds because the wounds run much too deep:
I'm also not Jesus. I don't forgive everything, because I cannot forget.
= new reply since forum marked as read
