VATICAN CITY
Voice of America
VOA News
October 14, 2015 7:29 AM
Pope Francis has offered a rare, if vague, apology for scandals involving the Roman Catholic Church, after several high-profile gaffes that were linked to the church or its clergy.
Speaking in Rome at the beginning of his weekly general audience Wednesday, Pope Francis said he asks forgiveness in the name of the church “for the scandals that have recently hit Rome and the Vatican.” He did not offer details on what scandals he meant. He added, “It is inevitable that scandal happens, but woe to the man who causes [them].” His last phrase was a quote from the Bible.
The pope’s comments drew applause, but also confusion about which scandals he might have meant. The Vatican has not addressed questions about what the pope was referencing.
On October third, the day before Pope Francis opened a meeting on family issues, a Vatican monsignor publicly announced he is gay, introduced his male partner to the media, and denounced the Church’s stance on same-sex relationships.
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