Pope: God’s wrath for abusers

POPE Francis has concluded his extraordinary summit on preventing clergy sex abuse by vowing to confront the evildoers with “the wrath of God”.

He also pledged to end the coverups by their superiors and prioritise victims of this “brazen, aggressive and destructive evil”.

The pontiff delivered his remarks at the end of Mass before 190 bishops and religious superiors who were summoned to Rome after more abuse scandals sparked a credibility crisis in the Catholic hierarchy and in Francis’ own leadership.

He noted the vast majority of sexual abuse happens in the family.

Francis said: “We need to recognise with humility and courage that we stand face-to-face with the mystery of evil, which strikes most violently against the most vulnerable, for they are an image of Jesus.”

He offered an eightpoint pledge of prior

Francis ities going forward, calling for a change in the Church’s defensive mentality and a vow to never again cover up cases.

Victims, he said, must take centre stage while priests should undergo a continuing path of purity with the “holy fear of God” guiding the examination of their failures. He added: “In people’s justified anger, the Church sees the reflection of the wrath of God, betrayed and insulted by these deceitful consecrated persons.”