The Catholic Church must treat cases of sexual assault with “zero tolerance,” reiterated Pope Francis, who, according to excerpts from an interview with a Portuguese TV channel, called it a “monstrosity.”
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“It is very clear. It is zero tolerance. A priest cannot remain a priest if he is an aggressor. He cannot because he is either sick or criminal,” the Pope said in this interview with TVI/CNN Portugal , excerpts of which have been published on the broadcaster’s website.
“It’s outrageous because it destroys lives,” he added in that two-part interview, which will air Sunday and Monday nights.
Like France, Portugal, a country with a strong Catholic tradition, has an independent commission investigating sexual assaults within the Church, which began work earlier this year.
This commission, created at the initiative of the Church, has already collected around 400 testimonies, 17 of which have been sent to the judiciary, recently instructed Pedro Stretch, the child psychiatrist who heads this working group, whose conclusions must be presented at the end of the year.
“I don’t deny abuse. A single abuse would be outrageous,” the Pope admitted in this interview on Portuguese television.
The Pope also indicated that he intends to visit Portugal during the next World Youth Days, a global gathering of young Catholics that will take place from August 1 to 6, 2023.
“I’m considering going there. In any case, the Pope will go,” he said.
Originally scheduled for August 2022, WYD has been postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.