Unic Press UK: The central government of the Roman Catholic Church, Holy See, has issued a statement regarding the report this week, in which, a Pennsylvania Grand Jury indicted the Catholic clergy of the United States for sexual abuse of minors.
In a statement Thursday, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, said:
“Regarding the report made public in Pennsylvania this week, there are two words that can express the feelings faced with these horrible crimes: shame and sorrow. The Holy See treats with great seriousness the work of the Investigating Grand Jury of Pennsylvania and the lengthy Interim Report it has produced. The Holy See condemns unequivocally the sexual abuse of minors. The abuses described in the report are criminal and morally reprehensible. Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Holy Father understands well how much these crimes can shake the faith and the spirit of believers and reiterates the call to make every effort to create a safe environment for minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and in all of society. Victims should know that the Pope is on their side. Those who have suffered are his priority, and the Church wants to listen to them to root out this tragic horror that destroys the lives of the innocent.”
This week, a Pennsylvania Grand Jury in the United States said there are valid documents from six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania on how more than 300 priests were accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims.
