Vatican | Protest against sexual abuse of minors

March in the Vatican demands zero tolerance against sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church before the synod of bishops on October 4.

ADVERTISING

Movements against clerical sexual abuse are putting pressure on the Catholic Church ahead of next week’s meeting of bishops at the Vatican.

After decades of revelations of abuse by priests around the world and attempted cover-ups, activists say the church hierarchy is still not doing enough to tackle pedophilia in its ranks. The Ending Clergy Abuse group has held a vigil near St. Peter’s Square.

“We were part of the problem because we remained silent. We were complicit. We decided, my wife and I, that we would either leave the Church or work for change. There was no other option,” says one of the protesters.

“This cross, Zero Tolerance is a message. We have Jesus crying tears. Tears for the children who have been sexually abused by the clergy and continue to be sexually abused by the clergy,” says another of the protesters.

The pope has promised to end sexual crimes within the Church and has asked for forgiveness from the victims. But activists in Rome want him to sign a zero-tolerance law to be approved by the synod of bishops on October 4.

#Vatican #Protest #sexual #abuse #minors