Pope meets victims of clergy sex abuse, says 'God weeps' for them [View all]

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US | Sun Sep 27, 2015 12:06pm EDT

Pope meets victims of clergy sex abuse, says 'God weeps' for them

PHILADELPHIA | BY SCOTT MALONE AND PHILIP PULLELLA

Pope Francis met on Sunday with five adults who were abused by Catholic clergy when they were children and vowed to hold responsible all involved in the crime or cover-ups.

While the pope has met with victims of sexual abuse in Rome, this was his first meeting with them on a foreign tour. Of the cities visited by Francis, who ends his six-day U.S. tour later in the day, Philadelphia has been the most publicly scarred in the U.S. clergy abuse scandal.

"I have in my heart these stories of suffering of those youth that were sexually abused," Francis told bishops.

"The people who had the responsibility to take care of these tender ones violated that trust and caused them great pain. God weeps for the sexual abuse of children."

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that at the morning meeting in Philadelphia's seminary, the pope "expressed participation in their suffering and pain and shame."

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/27/us-pope-usa-idUSKCN0RP11X20150927