Pope on sex abuse: ‘zero tolerance’ means just that

VATICAN CITY
Yahoo! News

Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis on Monday defended the Catholic Church’s much-vaunted “zero tolerance” approach to abuse, while admitting the ancient institution had so far lacked the courage to go all out on stopping paedophile priests.

The church “recognizes the sins of some of her members: the sufferings, the experiences and the pain of minors who were abused sexually by priests. It is a sin that shames us,” he said in a letter made public Monday.

“I would like us to renew our complete commitment to ensuring that these atrocities will no longer take place in our midst,” he added in the letter, addressed to the world’s bishops to mark the Massacre of the Innocents on December 28.

“Let us find the courage needed to take all necessary measures” to protect children.

“In this area, let us adhere, clearly and faithfully, to ‘zero tolerance’,” he said.

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