Pope Francis to hold First Meeting with Sexual Abuse Victims

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Francis held his first meeting with victims of sexual abuse by priests on Monday, an encounter that some say should have happened long ago, and victims from his native Argentina say they are pained over their exclusion, as reported by Antara News.

Six victims, two each from Ireland, Britain and Germany, will attend the popes private morning Mass in his Vatican residence and then meet with him afterwards, according to people who organised the meeting.

Francis had said he would show zero tolerance for anyone in the Catholic Church who abused children, including bishops, and compared sexual abuse of children by priests to a "Satanic Mass."

But he has also come under fire from victims groups for saying in an interview this year that the Roman Catholic Church has done more than any other organisation to root out paedophiles in its ranks.

Why the pope waited nearly 16 months since his election in March 2013 to meet with sexual abuse victims is not clear, particularly as his predecessor, former Pope Benedict, met several times with them during his trips outside Italy.

"I think its very important that the pope meet with victims," said Anne Doyle of Bishops Accountability, a U.S.-based documentation centre on abuse in the Catholic Church.

"We know that this pope is capable of compassion and his refusal to meet with sexual abuse victims so far has been inconsistent with the mercy he has shown with so many marginalised. This is something that he had to rectify," she said.

Victims groups have said the pope had a spotty record of dealing with abuse cases in Argentina when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, and victims from that country sent him a letter asking him why they were not invited.

ANTARA | PRIYAMBODO RH