Pope calls on authorities to prevent ‘all forms of sexual abuse’ in the Church

3 min

Welcomed Monday September 9 at East Timor Pope Francis, who was greeted by a huge crowd, called on his leaders to “prevent all forms of sexual abuse” in the Church in this predominantly Catholic country, which is facing a child sex abuse scandal that it has long covered up. After theIndonesia and the Papua New GuineaFrancis landed in Dili for the third leg of his marathon Asia-Pacific tour, the longest and most distant of his pontificate, which will continue on Wednesday in Singapore and will end there on Friday.

In his first speech at the presidential palace, the Pope urged the authorities and diplomatic corps to ” act responsibly to prevent any type of abuse » against “children and adolescents”. Francis was thus referring to the scandals of pedocriminality in the Church of this 98% Catholic country, embodied in particular by Monsignor Belo. Winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize for his role in independence, this bishop is also accused of having committed sexual violence against young boys for around twenty years, which earned him secret sanction by the Vatican in 2020.

The Pope promises a “ zero tolerance ” but does not apologize

The Pope, who has promised “zero tolerance” on this issue, has not, however, apologized to the victims or acknowledged the structural role of the Church in this violence, despite several associations and human rights groups demanding that he do so. His program does not yet include any meetings with victims, but he is due to speak to the country’s clergy on Tuesday, September 10.

Also listen toWorld Religions – Sexual Assault in the Church: Writing to Bear Witness and Make Reparation

Upon his arrival in Dili, the 87-year-old pope appeared in good shape despite the hectic pace of his week-long trip and was presented with flowers and a “Tais” – a traditional scarf – as a welcome. He also greeted President Jose Ramos-Horta at the airport, which has been closed to civilian flights for three days.

A visit that arouses immense enthusiasm

In a highly charged atmosphere, the Argentine Jesuit was then cheered for several kilometers along his route by an immense and demonstrative crowd who carried official umbrellas and waved yellow and white flags – the colors of the Vatican – bearing the coats of arms of the two states. Highly anticipated, Francis’ visit has aroused immense enthusiasm in East Timor.

This papal visit to a country where Catholicism arrived in the 16th century through missionaries is the first since its independence in 2002. Its main highlight will be a giant open-air mass on Tuesday, September 10, where 700,000 faithful, or half the population, are expected. The last papal visit to East Timor was by John Paul II in 1989, when the country was still under Indonesian occupation.

Also listen toIndonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Singapore: the challenges of Pope Francis’ trip