Pope Francis calls for 'Decisive Action' Against Sex Abuse Priests

He's been pope two weeks. He's gotten settled in. The big Easter holiday is over. Now he's going to tackle the pedophile infiltration. He's on a positive roll. Let's hope he follows through and that he can do a whole lotta' good!

Newsmax - Pope Francis Calls for 'Decisive Action' Against Sex Abuse Priests

Pope Francis wants the Catholic Church to "act decisively" to root out sexual abuse of children by priests and ensure the perpetrators are punished, the Vatican said on Friday. Francis, in a meeting with the Holy See's doctrinal chief, Archbishop Gerhard Muller, had declared that combating sexual abuse was important "for the Church and its credibility", a statement said ...

Francis said the department should continue to "act decisively as far as cases of sexual abuse are concerned, promoting, above all, measures to protect minors, help for those who have suffered such violence in the past (and) the necessary procedures against those who are guilty," a statement said.

The Vatican didn't say exactly what the specifics of 'act decisively' were except to take measures to protect minors and 'take the necessary procedures against the guilty'. Instead of shuffling and covering .. 'take the necessary procedures against them'. I would think that means have them arrested (that's what it sounds like) ... but I haven't found the specifics yet.

It is interesting how Pope Francis has changed the image of the Catholic church. Hopefully he will be a successful Pope and clean the corruption in the church. I wonder when he passes away will there be conspiracies about his death since his progressive views?

Originally posted by Phoenix267
I wonder when he passes away will there be conspiracies about his death since his progressive views?

I fear for his safety. The corrupt cardinals in the banking area aren't going to like this guy. The pedophiles that have infiltrated the church aren't going to like him either. Nice folks who are trying to make a positive difference are often times 'taken out' by the bad folks.

This was all I was able to find at Vatican Radio:

(Vatican Radio) Below we publish a translation of a communique issued Friday morning by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:

The Holy Father today received in audience Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. During the audience, various subjects pertaining to the Dicastery were discussed, the Holy Father recommended in particular that the Congregation, continue the line desired by Benedict XVI of decisive action regarding cases of sexual abuse, primarily by promoting measures for child protection; help for the many who in the past have suffered such violence; due process against those who are guilty; the commitment of Bishops' Conferences in the formulation and implementation of the necessary directives in this area which is of great importance to the witness of the Church and its credibility. The Holy Father assured that the victims of abuse and their suffering are especially present in his thoughts and prayers.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I agree with what you're saying. Who knows what goes in the background the media doesn't cover. Hopefully Pope Francis would be successful enough that future Catholic leaders will be more like him than the others.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I'm not sure the catholic church would risk getting rid of a pope that people actually support, even if they disagree with him.

Not to mention the damage it would do to the morale of catholics in general if they needed another election so quickly.

If it's anything like starving Africans, it means he'll start waving his scepter around more vigorously than usual, reading random selections from his Chicken Soup for the Heathens.

reply to post by charles1952

Good find. It says that the decisive action includes 'due process against those who are guilty'. I take that as to say ... 'no shuffling them around ... have the law prosecute them'.

So Pope Francis took the first two weeks to get settled in and past the big Easter celebrations and then he jumps on this. Good! I hope he has the church follow through on what he has said.

Originally posted by Bodhi7
I'm not sure the catholic church would risk getting rid of a pope that people actually support, even if they disagree with him. Not to mention the damage it would do to the morale of catholics in general if they needed another election so quickly.

I don't think that the corrupt criminal cardinals who are involved with the banking schemes and the pedophilia coverups care much about what the average Catholic thinks. I'm sure they are more concerned about their bank accounts or saving their own sorry backends from going to prison.

I think Pope Francis scares them. That's my opinion anyways ...

From what I'm hearing from "certain people", a lot of the old hat conservatives in the Roman Catholic Church are absolutely pitching a fit at what Pope Francis is doing.

But I knew this would happen. The Jesuits have been famous (or, in some cases, infamous) for their highly progressive views. Now that there's one as Pope, there's going to be dozens of radical changes within the church while he's on the seat.

reply to post by FollowTheWhiteRabbit


That reminds me of reading reviews by a very conservative and traditional Catholic on Amazon. He absolutely hated Pope Benedict XVI because he wasn't conservative in his book. I wonder what he thinks of Pope Francis. I will have to find his account and reviews again.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

... Now he's going to tackle the pedophile infiltration...

This begs the question: was infiltration a plot to undermine the RCC? I suspect so and you'd think the RCC would at least consider the idea as well.

To stay on point though, this is encouraging news and Francis is shaping up to be quite the encouraging Pontiff.

This would be great if he started cleaning up and getting the paedo priests and anyone else who's involved prosecuted.
The first thing he should do is raise the age of consent in Vatican City from 12 to 16.

My personal solution to priest pedophilia is that I participate in the reconciliation sacrament of my son myself. Since my sons first reconciliation I have been there physically in the confessional with him and the priest. I do not permit him to go it alone. That will continue until he is an adult, or until it is disallowed by the priest hearing confession, whichever comes first. I think that this should be an option of each parent and should be allowed, considering the history of certain church clergy. I have a right to practice my faith and protect my family.

Besides that, I think Pope Frank is the greatest.

reply to post by Afterthought

The first thing he should do is raise the age of consent in Vatican City from 12 to 16.

I would put that as # 832 on my list of things to do as a Pope. Not coincidentally, that's the population of Vatican City. How many people under 16 do you think we're dealing with?

Further, there is a real question about 12 as the age of consent. I know it's only Wiki, but it makes sense

The "Law of the Source of Law" of the Vatican State requires that any Italian laws must first defer to divine law, to Papal decrees, and to canon law. As the Vatican understands divine law, all sex outside of marriage is illicit, and therefore the only lawful consent that may be made for sexual relations is the consent between a husband and a wife. Canon 1083 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states that "A man before he has completed his sixteenth year of age and a woman before she has completed her fourteenth year of age cannot enter into a valid marriage." Thus, assuming the couple is married, the minimum age of consent for lawful sexual relations according to Vatican law is 14 for females, and 16 for males. (Emphasis added)

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by csimon


I realize this may be going off topic, but why allow him to participate in Confession at all?
This is an arcane practice that allowed the church to get dirt on people so they would have more power anyways.
You're best to teach your son that he can talk to God directly and do his own prayers and Rosaries to absolve his sins.
Besides, when I participated in Confessions, the priest was on the other side of a wall with a small window we spoke through, so I don't see the threat there anyways. Glad to hear you're being cautious though.

reply to post by charles1952

Thanks for the info correction. I could've sworn it was 12.
I just did my own search and see that you're right. Thanks for seeing my error.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Thank you so much for your intelligent adult well thought out
feedback and participation in this thread.

You like the other sufferers of sexual abuse are in my prayers

Originally posted by FlyersFan
I don't think that the corrupt criminal cardinals who are involved with the banking schemes and the pedophilia coverups care much about what the average Catholic thinks. I'm sure they are more concerned about their bank accounts or saving their own sorry backends from going to prison.

I think Pope Francis scares them. That's my opinion anyways ...

As an outsider, I find it fascinating that they have chosen someone that is as close to an ascetic as you could possibly find in a administrative role within the Church. It seemed a bold choice in that respect, and to my eye. One could almost hope that this would mean a move towards redistribution of the wealth that is held by the Church, especially since much of that wealth is actually tied into property, and here was a man who gave up his mansion to live in modest flat. And yet, he is an elderly man, this restricts somewhat the 'damage' he can do...could it be just an empty gesture? As in, he hasn't got that much of a life left to do too much harm to lifestyles of those whose lives in the Church are richly endowed and possibly corrupt. The focus that is now being placed on the Child Abuse scandals, which to the most part are historical, though no less in need of redress, is perhaps a waste of that potential, and limited energy. Hopefully, he will delegate the task, and get to the problems in the here and now, and to the root of how such corruption is able to persist, and be swept under the carpet. Otherwise, it has a faint whiff of deflection. The Church, by shear power of the number of bums on seats, has tremendous power to enact change, it would be nice to see that wielded with real effectiveness.

reply to post by FlyersFan


He ought to put them all in "monasteries" for the rest of their lives, ones with barbwire and bars. Maybe
then a few of them will not go straight to hell...