VATICAN CITY
First Post
PTI
Apr 30, 2018
Vatican City: Three victims of a Chilean paedophile priest have held private meetings with Pope Francis, as the Vatican tries to quell a sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church in Chile.
File image of Pope Francis. APFile image of Pope Francis. AP
The men, all victims of the paedophile priest Fernando Karadima, were in Vatican City at the personal invitation of the Pope, who in April admitted “grave mistakes” in his handling of the abuse controversy in Chile.
Juan Carlos Cruz said his meeting with Francis on Sunday, which lasted more than two hours, was wide-ranging and gave him “more hope for our Church, even though the task is enormous”. “I am moved, he listened to me with great respect, affection and closeness, like a father,” Cruz said on Twitter.
The Vatican had said last week that Francis would seek to “ask for their forgiveness, share their hurt and the shame they have suffered”. Jose Andres Murillo said he told Francis in his audience late Friday how important it was to understand that sexual abuse was “abuse of power”, and “the need to take responsibility… not just forgiveness”.
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