VATICAN CITY/PARIS
Japan Times
REUTERS/AFP-JIJI
MAY 17, 2016
VATICAN, CITY/PARIS – Pope Francis called for “severe punishment” for pedophiles on Sunday after new details emerged in Italy of the 2014 death of a 6-year-old girl who is alleged to have been thrown from an eighth-story balcony by her abuser.
“This is a tragedy. We should not tolerate the abuse of minors,” Francis said, departing from prepared remarks at his weekly Sunday message and blessing to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.
“We must protect minors and severely punish abusers,” he said.
Though the Catholic Church itself has been rocked by its own abuse scandals, he did not mention them on Sunday as he has in the past. …
In an interview with the Catholic daily on Monday, the pope said it would be “contradictory, imprudent” to seek Cardinal Philippe Barbarin’s resignation at this stage.
“We will see after the end of (any) trial. But (to seek his resignation) now would be to imply guilt,” the pontiff said.
Francis said he believed Barbarin had “taken the necessary measures, he took things in hand. He is brave, creative, a missionary. We should now wait for the outcome of the civilian judicial procedure.”
Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, France’s second-largest city, is facing a storm over his handling of allegations against Father Bernard Preynat, accused of sex attacks on four boy scouts between 1986 and 1991.
Preynat was placed under formal investigation in January, but his lawyer argues the alleged crimes are now beyond the statute of limitations.
In March, prosecutors in Lyon ordered a preliminary investigation into three accusations by civilian plaintiffs that Barbarin’s diocese knew about the abuses a number of years ago but failed to inform the authorities.
According to the diocese, Barbarin first received testimony from an alleged victim in mid-2014, and relieved Preynat of priestly office in May 2015.
An association called La Parole Liberee (The Liberated Word) says it has identified between 50 and 60 victims.
In other comments he made to La Croix, the pope floated the idea of visiting France, but said he was unable to say when it would take place.
“Last year, some suggestions started to be made about a trip of this kind, comprising a stop in Paris and its suburbs, in Lourdes and in a city where no pope has been, Marseille for example, which represents a gate that is open to the world,” Francis said.
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