We must all work together to end the silence surrounding abuse if we are to eradicate it from the church and communities, Pope Francis appealed to adult survivors of child sexual abuse. UCA News reported this on November 30.
“Violating the rights of a child through violence and abuse is a betrayal of the humanity God has given us.”he wrote in a letter to a group he met at the Vatican.
Despite being sick with the flu and canceling several meetings during the week, Pope Francis met with 26 victims of violence at his residence on November 28. As young children, they were abused by members of the Congregation of the de Montfort Brothers of Saint Gabriel, which ran schools in western France. The group from the diocese of Nantes was accompanied by representatives of the congregation and the Commission for Recognition and Reparation.
The group’s first meeting with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors lasted more than two hours. During it, the participants received a letter from the pontiff, in which he apologized for not being able to speak with them personally, “as we had hoped.”
Francis asked that his words be conveyed to the staff of the papal commission he created “for you and for the many children and afflicted people who, like you, have experienced the greatest evil in the place where you, together with your families, sought salvation.” ”. true and good.”
“I have asked the commission to hear your words on my behalf and gather your testimony so that it can strengthen and inspire our collective efforts to eradicate abuse from our church and our communities.”says the pontiff’s letter.
“We can only do this together, each of us will do our part to break the silence about violence.”he wrote.
The Pope recognized his path of healing together with the Montfort brothers and said that it shows that “it is possible to break this silence if there is an active and respectful openness within the institution itself to listen to what the victims of violence have to say.”
“It is not always easy and I congratulate you all on this achievement of walking and learning together in honest dialogue.”he added.
The Pope reaffirmed his support for the “undeniable commitment of local churches to implement and test protective policies and professional standards in the training of clergy and religious leaders, and to seek a safe environment in our schools.”
He thanked them for their “courage and resilience” and assured them that they had been heard.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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