UNITED STATES
Catholic Culture
On his return flight from the Holy Land to Rome, Pope Francis told reporters that the sexual abuse of minors is a “very grave crime” and that three bishops are under investigation for matters related to abuse.
“We must go forward with zero tolerance,” the Pope said, as he compared the clerical abuse of minors to a priest taking part in a satanic ritual.
Pope Francis also said he would celebrate Mass for a group in abuse victims.
According to summaries of the press conference published by Vatican Radio and by John Allen of the Boston Globe, the Pope also confirmed that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s former Secretary of State, is under investigation for financial irregularities and that priestly celibacy, while not a “dogma of the faith,” is a discipline “that I value very much and see as a gift for the Church.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.