Cardinal O'Malley reaffirms
Pope's commitment to abuse victims
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| Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley (L) seen with Pope Franis.- AFP |
In a statement, Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop
of Boston, says "Pope Francis fully recognizes the egregious failures of
the Church and it’s clergy who abused children".
Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston,
reaffirmed Pope Francis' commitment to victims of clerical sexual abuse in a
statement published on the Boston Catholic website on Saturday.
In the statement, the Cardinal confirms how Pope Francis
"fully recognizes the egregious failures of the Church and it’s clergy who
abused children".
Please find below the full text of Cardinal O'Malley's
statement:
"It is understandable that Pope Francis’ statements
yesterday in Santiago, Chile were a source of great pain for survivors of
sexual abuse by clergy or any other perpetrator. Words that convey the message
“if you cannot prove your claims then you will not be believed” abandon those
who have suffered reprehensible criminal violations of their human dignity and
relegate survivors to discredited exile.
Not having been personally involved in the cases that were
the subject of yesterday’s interview I cannot address why the Holy Father chose
the particular words he used at that time. What I do know, however, is that Pope
Francis fully recognizes the egregious failures of the Church and it’s clergy
who abused children and the devastating impact those crimes have had on
survivors and their loved ones.
Accompanying the Holy Father at numerous meetings with
survivors I have witnessed his pain of knowing the depth and breadth of the
wounds inflicted on those who were abused and that the process of recovery can
take a lifetime. The Pope’s statements that there is no place in the life of
the Church for those who would abuse children and that we must adhere to zero
tolerance for these crimes are genuine and they are his commitment.
My prayers and concern will always be with the survivors and
their loved ones. We can never undo the suffering they experienced or fully
heal their pain. In some cases we must accept that even our efforts to offer
assistance can be a source of distress for survivors and that we must quietly
pray for them while providing support in fulfillment of our moral obligation. I
remain dedicated to work for the healing of all who have been so harmed and for
vigilance in doing all that is possible to ensure the safety of children in the
community of the Church so that these crimes never happen again."
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