Pope Francis has been quoted as saying that dependable knowledge signifies that “about 2%” of clergy within the Catholic Church are pedophiles. The Pope stated that abuse of kids was like “leprosy” infecting the Church, in line with the Italian La Repubblica newspaper.
He vowed to “confront it with the severity it demands”. But a Vatican spokesman stated the quotes within the newspaper didn’t correspond to Pope Francis’s precise phrases. The BBC’s David Willey in Rome says there’s usually a studied ambiguity in Pope Francis’ off-the-cuff statements.
He desires to indicate a extra compassionate perspective in direction of Church educating than his predecessors, however this may generally trigger consternation amongst his media advisers, our correspondent provides. In the interview, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that the two% estimate got here from advisers. It would signify round 8,000 monks out of a world quantity of about 414,000.
While the incidence of paedophilia within the basic inhabitants is just not precisely identified, some estimates have put it at lower than 5 %. “Among the 2% who are paedophiles are priests, bishops and cardinals. Others, more numerous, know but keep quiet. They punish without giving the reason,” Pope Francis was quoted as saying.
“I find this state of affairs intolerable,” he went on. Above the interview La Repubblica ran the headline: “Pope says: Like Jesus, I shall use a stick against paedophile priests.”
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi denied that Pope Francis had stated that there have been cardinals who have been paedophiles.
Last 12 months Pope Francis strengthened the Vatican’s legal guidelines in opposition to baby abuse and earlier this month begged forgiveness from the victims of sexual abuse by monks, at his first assembly with victims since his election.