VATICAN CITY
LA Croix
August 23, 2018
By Hans Zollner SJ
There is no doubt that the protection of children and youth against sexual violence remains a central problem in the Catholic Church and in society
The issue of sexual abuse of minors committed by clergy is constantly returning to the forefront of media attention. Recently, through various news outlets and publications worldwide, this focus has been particularly sustained for the Karadima case in Chile. It’s hard to say why that has resonated with people around the world more than other cases have.The offer of resignation by all Chilean bishops is a sign of huge importance, which is in line with a development that we have seen over the last years. There is no one turning point — the ship of the church is slowly moving in another direction. It is a huge effort, and change is on the way.For Pope Francis, calling a whole bishops’ conference to Rome has been new. John Paul II and Benedict XVI summoned cardinals and bishops to discuss clerical sexual abuse, but this is new for Francis. He takes the problem seriously.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.