Pope Francis has for the first time publicly acknowledged the scandal of priests and bishops sexually abusing nuns and says he is committed to doing more to fight the problem.
Francis noted that Pope Benedict XVI had taken action against a France-based order after some of its religious sisters had been reduced to "sexual slavery" at the hands of the priest who founded the order and other priests.
Francis credited Benedict, pope from 2005-2013, with having had the courage to tackle the problem, saying the popular impression that he was somehow weak was completely wrong.
He said Benedict took action against the French congregation "because a certain slavery of women had crept in, slavery to the point of sexual slavery on the part of clergy or the founder," he said.
"Sometimes the founder takes away, or empties the freedom of the sisters. It can come to this," Francis said.
Asked if any universal norms might be in the works to tackle the problem — as has been done to handle cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors — Francis implied that the priestly abuse of nuns was still being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
"There are cases, usually in new congregations and in some regions more than others," he said. "We're working on it."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/worl...-in-sexual-slavery/ar-BBTdyO6?ocid=spartandhp
Francis noted that Pope Benedict XVI had taken action against a France-based order after some of its religious sisters had been reduced to "sexual slavery" at the hands of the priest who founded the order and other priests.
Francis credited Benedict, pope from 2005-2013, with having had the courage to tackle the problem, saying the popular impression that he was somehow weak was completely wrong.
He said Benedict took action against the French congregation "because a certain slavery of women had crept in, slavery to the point of sexual slavery on the part of clergy or the founder," he said.
"Sometimes the founder takes away, or empties the freedom of the sisters. It can come to this," Francis said.
Asked if any universal norms might be in the works to tackle the problem — as has been done to handle cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors — Francis implied that the priestly abuse of nuns was still being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
"There are cases, usually in new congregations and in some regions more than others," he said. "We're working on it."
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/worl...-in-sexual-slavery/ar-BBTdyO6?ocid=spartandhp
