Pope says no effort spared to fight abuse, offers no details

VATICAN CITY» Pope Francis vowed Monday that “no effort must be spared” to root out priestly sex abuse and cover-up from the Catholic Church, but gave no indication that he would take action to sanction complicit bishops or end the Vatican culture of secrecy that has allowed the crisis to fester.

In a letter to Catholics worldwide following damning new revelations of misconduct in the U.S., Francis sought to project a get-tough response to the perpetrators and a compassionate shoulder for victims ahead of a fraught trip to Ireland this weekend.

Francis begged forgiveness for the pain suffered by victims and said lay Catholics must be included in the effort to root out abuse and cover-up. He blasted the clerical culture that has been blamed for the crisis, with church leaders more concerned about their own reputations than the safety of children.

“We showed no care for the little ones,” Francis wrote. “We abandoned them.”

But Francis alone can sanction bishops and he offered no hint that he would change the Vatican’s long-standing practice of giving religious superiors a pass when they botch abuse cases or are negligent in protecting their flocks.

He said he was aware of the “effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world” to ensure children are protected and hold accountable those who commit abuse and cover it up.

But he made no reference to what the Vatican plans to do, saying only: “We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future.”

The letter was viewed by abuse survivors as little more than recycled rhetoric that fails to acknowledge the Vatican’s own role in turning a blind eye to predatory priests and fomenting a culture of secrecy that has allowed crimes to go unpunished for decades.

“That culture was overseen by #Vatican & codified into its laws,” tweeted Colm O’Gorman, a prominent Irish abuse victim who is organizing a solidarity demonstration of survivors in Dublin during Francis’ visit. “He needs to name & own that.”