VATICAN CITY
Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) In yet another conversation with former editor and founder of the Italian daily ‘La Repubblica’, Eugenio Scalfari, Pope Francis has touched upon a series of issues including pedophilia in the church, the mafia, the education of young people and knowledge.
In an article published Sunday in ‘La Repubblica’, Scalfari points out that it is the third time he has been to Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican for an open-hearted conversation with the Pope.
Scalfari reports that Pope Francis is extremely sensitive to and preoccupied by the question of pedophilia in the Church. He says Francis revealed that, intending to reassure him, some point out that reports show that there is only a tiny percentage – 2% – of priests affected by pedophilia in the Church, but Francis considers even this figure extremely serious and unacceptable. And regarding this same issue, the Pope forcefully condemns those who, within the Church are silent or perhaps mete out punishment without publically denouncing the crime. And he reaffirms his intention to continue tackling without compromise what he calls “the leprosy of pedophilia”.
Another theme with which the Pope is very concerned – Scalfari says – is the problem of the mafia which he will continue to denounce constantly. And he expressed his desire to get to know better the way the mafia thinks and the way “Mafiosi” profess to practice their religion.
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