Religion

Pope Francis Apologizes Over Sexual Abuses Within Catholic Church

Roman Catholic head, Pope Francis, has said he feels pained at the irreparable damage caused to children by some ministers of the church who sexually abuse them.

Francis was speaking before Chilean dignitaries in Santiago de Chile.

The Pope, while apologizing for cases of sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church said,

“I am one with my brother bishops, for it is right to ask for forgiveness and make every effort to support the victims.

“Although, we have committed ourselves to ensuring that such things do not happen again.”

Meanwhile earlier this week, the Vatican took over a Peru-based Catholic sect whose founder has been accused of sexual and psychological abuse.

Thousands of Chileans have reportedly left the church recently, which many believe is a a result of both the country’s increasing secular beliefs and scandals involving sex abuse by the clergy that were finally made public.

In 2010, information came to light that a well-known and powerful priest known as a father figure for the Chilean elite had been sexually abusing minors in his high-class Santiago parish for decades and the church hierarchy allegedly protected him.

After many complaints, the church carried out an internal investigation and found the priest, Father Karadima, guilty of sexual abuse of minors and psychological abuse. In 2011, he was ordered to live a “life of prayer and penitence” that banned him for life from public duties as a priest, especially giving confession and spiritual guidance to parishoners.

In 2015, many of the country’s Catholics were angered by the Pope’s decision to appoint a bishop to the southern city of Oserno who had been one of Karadima’s followers. Bishop Juan Barros has denied knowledge of Karadima’s behavior as a sexual predator.