BRUSSELS (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Pope Francis concluded his difficult journey in Belgium by honoring the victims and demanding justice for their abusers.
Pope Francis concluded his visit to Belgium, responding to outrage over a Belgian scandal that has undermined the church’s credibility, calling for sexually aggressive priests to be brought to justice and for their bishops to stop covering up their crimes. The main motivation for the trip was to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven/Leuven, the oldest Catholic university in the world, and to expand the Vatican’s academic footprint in Belgium.
What did Francis ask bishops to do regarding abuse?
“Evil should not be hidden. “Evil must be exposed publicly.”
Francis spoke to an audience of about 30,000 at a Belgian sports stadium, receiving repeated cheers as the crowd embraced his words.
What message did Pope Francis deliver to the people?
Francis turned away from a homily he had prepared to respond to a discussion with 17 survivors of abuse. There, he witnessed firsthand the trauma and grief they experienced and the callous response of the church when they reported the crimes.
“There is a place for everyone and everyone in the church, but everyone will be judged and there is no place for abuse. “There is no room to cover up abuse.”
Francis said.
“I ask the bishop not to cover up the abuse. “Condemn abusers and help them recover from this disease of abuse.”
Belgium has a terrible legacy of abuse and cover-up, and nothing symbolizes the church’s duplicity more than the case of Roger Vangheluwe, Bishop of Bruges. He was quietly granted retirement in 2010 after confessing to sexually abusing his niece for 13 years. Pope Francis only excommunicated him 14 years later this year, a move that clearly indicated he had finally resolved the issue before he appeared in Belgium.
What was the Belgian leadership’s reaction to this scandal?
Belgium’s king has ordered the church to work “relentlessly” to stamp out the scandal, and the prime minister has demanded that the needs of victims be put first in a massive disparagement of the leadership of the once staunchly Catholic country.
