VATICAN CITY
Mic
By Eileen Shim
The news: Since Francis’s papacy began last February, he’s vowed to fix the Catholic Church’s ongoing issues with sexual abuse. And while critics argue he’s been relatively quiet on the issue, on Monday Pope Francis will be taking an important step towards addressing the issue: meeting with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests.
Six survivors from Britain, Germany and Ireland will say mass with the pope at his personal chapel and enjoy a private audience with him afterwards. This will be Francis’ first meeting with sexual abuse victims. His predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II, did so several times but failed to make any real progress on the problem. But with a progressive track record in his young papacy, Francis may have an easier time affecting real change on this terrible problem.
The pope is renewing efforts to address the scandal. Monday’s encounter will follow the meeting of the pope’s special international commission to advise him on the issue and develop plans to address the problems. In May, Francis also announced that three bishops were under investigation, although he didn’t clarify whether they were accused of abuse or for covering up other priests’ crimes.
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