Pope Francis Calls for ‘concrete Measures’ As Historic Clergy Sex-abuse Summit Opens in Rome

By Jeremy Roebuck
Philadelphia Inquirer
February 21, 2019

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AbuseTracker/

Pope Francis warned the globe’s top Roman Catholic leaders Thursday that they would need to emerge with more than just “predictable statements” as he opened a highly-anticipated summit aimed at finally defining a worldwide response to the issue of sex abuse within the church.

In an opening address before an audience of leading bishops from more than 100 countries, Vatican officials and experts, the pontiff urged those in attendance to “listen to the cry of the small who are asking for justice.”

“The holy people of God are looking at us, expecting not only simple and predictable condemnations but concrete and effective measures in place,” he said. “We need to be concrete.”

Francis’ remarks kicked off the three-day, closed-door meeting at the Holy See, which will see the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences participating in lectures and work sessions on how to prevent sex abuse, hold each other accountable and care for victims in their churches back home.

Organizers have said they hope it will prove to be a “turning point” for a hierarchy battered by a series of scandals — especially in the United States, which saw top Cardinal Theodore McCarrick defrocked over allegations he abused seminarians and minors, a scathing grand jury report in Pennsylvania and the launch of several similar investigations in more than a dozen states all within the last year, including New Jersey.

The meeting also presents an opportunity for Pope Francis to shore up his own record on the issue. His critics have described him as sluggish to respond and, at times, callous.

Clergy sex abuse victims and representatives from their most outspoken advocacy groups — have turned the area surrounding St. Peter’s Square into their own home base in the days leading up to Thursday’s session and have sought to wrest the spotlight from the summit’s official agenda.