Sex abuse 'devastating' says Parolin

(ANSA) - Vatican City, August 22 - 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.