The Vatican has launched a major anti-abuse conference. Bishops from around the world want to discuss how they can fight child abuse. Pope Francis called for a start "concrete and effective measures" to combat the sexual abuse described by the German Cardinal Reinhard Marx as "evil".
The Pope said in the Vatican Synod's Lair, "Let us hear the cry of the little ones who demand justice." He reminded the Bishops' Conference leaders of their responsibility and called for "courage and concreteness." The leaders of the Roman Curia and Order representatives will take part in the meeting until Sunday, in addition to the bishops. The first day started with a prayer. Working groups should discuss responsibility, accountability and transparency.
The previous handling of the numerous abusive cases had brought the Catholic Church much criticism. Sometimes too much - apparently finds Pope Francis. People who criticized the church constantly and "without love" are "the friends, cousins and relatives of the devil," the pope said, according to the Guardian, to pilgrims in southern Italy.
Pope has enough of "accuse, blame, accuse"
Although deficits should be named so that they could be eliminated. He promised a "zero tolerance" attitude to abuse. However, one can not "blame, blame and accuse the Church for a lifetime", Pope Francis said before the meeting.
"This is a slap in the face of the survivors," said Judy Larson of the organization "Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests" of the "New York Post." With statements of this kind, there is no hope for improvement.
But this is exactly what the church is trying to do with the historic conference, which will be attended by representatives of the Roman Curia and of the Order until Sunday, in addition to the approximately 110 heads of the national bishops' conferences. The Pope said, "May the Virgin Mary enlighten us to heal those severe wounds inflicted by the pedophilia scandal on both the little ones and the faithful."
A few days before the conference, he made a mark by dismissing ex-Cardinal and former Archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick, for abuse allegations from the clerics. Only a few days ago, Pope Francis had also conceded the abuse of nuns by clerics.
Sacrificial associations, however, demand more: in concrete terms, they call for a change in church law so that pedophile clergymen are no longer allowed to work as priests. Critical theologians also advocate a separation of powers and greater cooperation with state investigators.
Victim protection association angry
The time of the "unctuous words" is over, said Matthias Katsch of the German victim protection association Eckiger table. He was annoyed that the Pope was not present at a pre-trial meeting between victims and the Preparatory Committee on Wednesday.
Abuse has long been a topic in the church. Already in the eighties first cases of abuse by clerics became known. Scandals in Germany, Ireland, Chile and the USA gradually increased the pressure. Many believers have therefore turned away from the church.
In addition, numerous victims also suffer from the cover-up after the abuse. The German Father Hans Zollner, who has prepared the summit, read out the words to the prelude: "Nobody listened to me, ... nobody heard my crying, I wonder why God did not listen to me."
The German Cardinal Marx hopes to receive impulses from the meeting. "One goal must be that all bishops realize that is a challenge that we all have to face - everywhere, in the church and in society, of course," said the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference in Rome.