VATICAN CITY
Express (UK)
POPE Francis has reportedly said today that thousands of priests in the Catholic Church are paedophiles and described the child abuse as “leprosy”.
By: Dion Dassanayake
Published: Sun, July 13, 2014
The Pontif allegedly said it was infecting the “house” of Catholicism and that reliable data showed one in every 50 clergy members are paedophiles.
The Pope also vowed to confront child abuse within the church “with the severity it demands”, according to the Italian La Repubblica newspaper.
He was quoted as saying: “Among the two per cent who are paedophiles are priests, bishops and cardinals.
“Others, more numerous, know but keep quiet.
“They punish without giving the reason.
“I find this state of affairs intolerable.”
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