Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Pope Francis Renews Catholic Church's Commitment to Uproot Sexual Abuse

Sabina Castelfranco

   LONDON - Pope Francis pledged once again Wednesday to rid the Catholic
   Church of sexual abuse--one day after the Vatican released its
   much-anticipated report on the years of cover-up by high-rankling
   church members of the illegal and wrongful behavior by former
   Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

   Pope Francis renewed the commitment Wednesday of the Catholic Church to
   uproot the evil of sexual abuse and expressed solidarity with victims.
   His words were followed by a minute of silent prayer at the end of the
   weekly general audience from the library of the Vatican's Apostolic
   Palace.

   The pope's words came one day after the Vatican published a report that
   he ordered in October 2018, saying he was "concerned by the confusion"
   among Catholics about what he called "the painful case of former
   Cardinal Theodore McCarrick."

   In the report, the Vatican admits its failures to take appropriate
   action following widespread claims of McCarrick's sexual abuse of
   minors and adults over many years.

   The 449-page report "on the Holy See's institutional knowledge and
   decision-making process related to former Cardinal Theodore Edgar
   McCarrick from 1930 to 2017" is based on the interviews of more than 90
   witnesses, including cardinals, bishops, American seminarians and
   priests.

   The Vatican said, "no limit was placed on the examination of documents,
   the questioning of individuals or the expenditure of resources
   necessary to carry out the investigation."

.