Pope stresses efforts for justice after Munich abuse report

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 21 - Pope Francis on Friday stressed how the Catholic Church is working to give justice to the victims of child-sex abuse by members of the clergy a day after his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, was criticised in a report released in Germany.
    The report on sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising concluded that there were at least 497 victims of acts committed by at least 235 people, including 173 priests, between 1945 and 2019.
    It said Benedict XVI failed to take action in four cases when he was Archbishop of Munich between 1977 and 1982.
    Benedict denies making mistakes in these four cases or involvement in cover-ups.
    Pope Francis told members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) on Friday that the Church was "resolutely pursuing her commitment to bring justice to the victims of abuse by her members.
    "In this light, I have recently updated the Norms on crimes reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the desire to make judicial action more incisive," he added.
    "Judicial action alone cannot be enough to stem the phenomenon, but it is a necessary step towards re-establishing justice, repairing the scandal and emending the offender". (ANSA).