Pope Francis Addresses Pedophilia Among Clergy
- 10 years ago
In a recent interview with Italy’s ‘La Republica’, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that 2 percent of the Catholic Church’s clergy are pedophiles.
In a recent interview with Italy’s ‘La Republica’, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that 2 percent of the Catholic Church’s clergy are pedophiles.
According to the paper, the Pope told the journalist, “Among the 2% who are pedophiles are priests, bishops and cardinals. Others, more numerous, know but keep quiet. They punish without giving the reason. I find this state of affairs intolerable."
Along with his comments, the Pope pledged to address the problem.
He also suggested that lifting the rule of celibacy among the clergy and allowing its members to marry could be something the world may see in the future.
Pope Frances pointed out that the prohibition was instituted 900 years after the death of Christ.
He also acknowledged that in the Eastern Catholic Church some priests are allowed to take a spouse.
It didn’t take long after the interview was published for the Vatican to come forward with a statement.
In it, Father Lombardi, the institution’s official spokesman, said that the quotes attributed to the Pope were not in fact the pontiff’s exact words.
Rather, the statements were assembled from the journalist’s memory of a casual conversation he had with the Pope Francis and were never confirmed.
In a recent interview with Italy’s ‘La Republica’, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that 2 percent of the Catholic Church’s clergy are pedophiles.
According to the paper, the Pope told the journalist, “Among the 2% who are pedophiles are priests, bishops and cardinals. Others, more numerous, know but keep quiet. They punish without giving the reason. I find this state of affairs intolerable."
Along with his comments, the Pope pledged to address the problem.
He also suggested that lifting the rule of celibacy among the clergy and allowing its members to marry could be something the world may see in the future.
Pope Frances pointed out that the prohibition was instituted 900 years after the death of Christ.
He also acknowledged that in the Eastern Catholic Church some priests are allowed to take a spouse.
It didn’t take long after the interview was published for the Vatican to come forward with a statement.
In it, Father Lombardi, the institution’s official spokesman, said that the quotes attributed to the Pope were not in fact the pontiff’s exact words.
Rather, the statements were assembled from the journalist’s memory of a casual conversation he had with the Pope Francis and were never confirmed.