Pope Francis Reaches Out to Victims of Abuse by the Church; Warns Abusers: "Let No Wolf Enter the Fold"

Aimee Herd : Jul 8, 2014
News Staff – Catholic Online

"Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you. And I humbly ask forgiveness." -Pope Francis

Pope Francis preached a homily on Sunday, especially directed toward the six victims of sexual abuse by the clergy who were present at the Mass at the Chapel of St. Martha. (Photo via Google)

Pope Francis' homily was translated and posted online by Catholic.org.

In it, the pope offered his own apology, on behalf of the Church, that such a terrible thing had happened and had been for "so much time hidden, camouflaged..."

"For some time now I have felt in my heart deep pain and suffering…This is what causes me distress and pain at the fact that some priests and bishops, by sexually abusing minors, violated their innocence and their own priestly vocation," said Pope Francis in his homily.

"It is something more than despicable actions. It is like a sacrilegious cult, because these boys and girls had been entrusted to the priestly charism in order to be brought to God…They profane the very image of God in whose likeness we were created. Childhood, as we all know, young hearts, so open and trusting, have their own way of understanding the mysteries of God's love and are eager to grow in the faith. Today the heart of the Church looks into the eyes of Jesus in these boys and girls and wants to weep; she asks the grace to weep before the execrable acts of abuse which have left lifelong scars.

"You and all those who were abused by clergy are loved by God. I pray that the remnants of the darkness which touched you may be healed by the embrace of the Child Jesus and that the harm which was done to you will give way to renewed faith and joy.

"I am grateful for this meeting. And please pray for me, so that the eyes of my heart will always clearly see the path of merciful love, and that God will grant me the courage to persevere on this path for the good of all children and young people. Jesus comes forth from an unjust trial, from a cruel interrogation and He looks in the eyes of Peter, and Peter weeps. We ask that He look at us and that we allow ourselves to be looked upon and to weep and that He give us the grace to be ashamed, so that, like Peter, forty days later, we can reply: 'You know that I love you'; and hear Him say: 'go back and feed My sheep'—and I would add—'let no wolf enter the fold.'"