"No silence or concealment on the issue of abuse can be accepted. This is not a negotiable issue," Pope Francis said Saturday in the audience with representatives of the diocesan listening centers of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).
"It is important to pursue the search for truth and the restoration of justice within the ecclesial community, even in those cases in which certain behaviors are not considered a crime by state law, but are considered by canon law," the pontiff said.
"The treatment of wounds is also a work of justice. Precisely for this reason it is important to prosecute those who commit such crimes, even more so if it is a question of ecclesial contexts," Francis added.
"They themselves have the moral duty of a profound personal conversion that leads to the recognition of their infidelity" and to the "humble request of forgiveness of the victims for their actions," Francis said.
Pope Francis called for the fight against child pornography. Photo: EFE
As the decades-long scandal of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic Church around the world — as a slew of reports in recent years have shown — roils Francis' papacy, the pontiff also made a strong call to address the scourge of child pornography.
"Also deal with something very bad that happens, which is pornographic films with children. This happens, in fact, it is within the reach of anyone who pays, on their mobile phone," the pope asked the diocesan representatives of the CEI, who work for the protection of victims of abuse and for prevention.
"Where are these films made? Who is responsible?" he asked incisively.
"Please work on this: it is a struggle that we must wage because the worst is spreading on mobile phones," was Francis' forceful plea.
Abuse is "a painful reality" and "we cannot stop in our action to protect minors and the vulnerable and at the same time combat all forms of abuse, whether sexual, power or conscience," he said. And then he indicated three actions: "Watch, listen and care."
"Moral reaction"
The Pope stressed that it is important "to prevent opportunities for harm and this is only possible through constant formation."
It is essential to take care of the victims, he said. "Just listening to the pain of the people who have suffered these terrible crimes opens solidarity and pushes us to do everything possible to ensure that the abuses are not repeated," the pope said.
"We are called to a moral reaction," to "listen and care for the victims," because "repairing the torn tissues of history is a redemptive act," he continued.
Finally, Jorge Bergoglio recalled that abuses concern not only the Church, but also other areas: the family, the neighborhood, the world of sports, schools.
Pope Francis, this Saturday, in a meeting with pediatricians and other doctors in Rome. Photo: REUTERS
Panttemia and health
Later, in another audience, this time with Italian otolaryngologists and pediatricians, Francis said that, after the difficult years of the pandemic, "the health situation in Italy is going through a new critical phase that seems to be becoming structural."
"There is a constant shortage of staff, leading to unmanageable workloads and the consequent flight of health professions. The economic crisis affects the quality of life of patients and doctors," he said.
"Please, preserve this system, which is a popular system," of "service to the people," he remarked, and asked "not to fall into the idea of efficiency" and "paid medicine."
On the other hand, he stressed that the crisis in the health system "affects the quality of life" of patients and doctors: "How many early diagnoses are not made? How many people drop out of treatment? How many doctors and nurses, discouraged and tired, give up or prefer to go to work abroad?" he asked.
"These are some of the factors that undermine the exercise of that right to health which is part of the patrimony of the Church's social doctrine and which is enshrined in the Italian Constitution as a right of the individual, that is, of everyone - without exception - especially of the weakest, and as an interest of the community. because health is a common good," he added
The Pope also highlighted the problem of the falling birth rate in Italy. In the audience with the paediatricians, he recalled that "unfortunately Italy is an ageing country: we hope that the trend can be reversed, creating favourable conditions for young people to have more confidence and rediscover the courage and joy of being parents"
"Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I'll say it: People today would rather have a dog than a child. Your work is very limited, but that of veterinarians is growing, and this is not a good sign," he added.
Source: ANSA
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