Sex abuse in the Catholic
Church is "devastating", Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal
Pietro Parolin told Vatican News Wednesday ahead of Pope
Francis's visit to Ireland this weekend.
"I think we are continuing to be deeply struck by this
phenomenon which has had a devastating effect on the testimony
of the Church," Parolin said two days after Francis said the
Church had been tardy in responding to "atrocities" that
"abandoned the little ones".
His statement also came after Pennsylvania authorities
detailed abuse of over 1,000 children by 30 priests over 70
years.
"The pope has always and continues to insist on the fact that
our first duty, our first commitment is to be close to the
victims, to help them in such a way that they can rebuild their
lives," Parolin told Vatican News.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
