Anti-abuse conference: week of the truth in the Vatican

In a prominently occupy the conference wants Pope Francis to be a Signal against abuse in the Catholic Church. Already before the beginning of the session, he sends a signal of commitment.

Jörg Seisselberg, ARD Studio Rome

In the Vatican, they speak of the most important week of his pontificate. Pope Francis himself has asked, in view of the in a few days the beginning of the Anti-abuse conference yesterday with an urgent appeal to the faithful in St Peter's square:

"please I pray for this Meeting, I wanted to as an act of great pastoral responsibility in the face of urgent challenge of our time," said the Pontiff.

But also a Pope does not rely solely on prayers. That's why Pope Francis has acted in a particularly prominent case, Theodore McCarrick at the weekend, and thus the character set: on The topic of abuse, he'll give no more compromises.

Unprecedented crash

A remarkable decision, the German priest and Anti-abuse expert Hans Zollner. McCarrick will be accused of various sexual offences, even to the detriment of minors. With the removal of US cardinal from the priesthood, Francis is a made before the conference in the Vatican, that the Church law is the same for all, so Zollner: "Even if is a cardinal, here, and departed for the insane has collected a lot of money and was in the US the luminous figure of Catholicism for several decades."

The former cardinal McCarrick will be accused of misuse and abuse of power.

Just McCarrick has long been regarded as a Symbol of the tabs in the way the Vatican and the Pope personally, with the abuse theme. Although a number of allegations against the cardinal were for years known to the world, had used him Francis for diplomatic and special missions.

Now, the unprecedented crash from the cardinal to the simple Catholic lay drastic a Catholic Church leader has been demoted in modern times. A clear Signal, says Zollner: "It makes it very clear that the keywords that we have applied to both responsibility and accountability for all. I mean, clear as a judgment you can not speak."

"credibility is at stake"

Zollner is one of the organizers of the Anti-abuse meeting, the Vatican announced officially conference on the protection of Minors. Since years, the German father works as a member of the Pontifical child protection Commission to this topic, as one of the driving forces in the Catholic Church.

the meeting of the presidents of the Episcopal conferences from the former spokesman for Pope Benedict XVI, Federico Lombardi is Moderated. He also leaves no doubt, what is the significance of this Meeting for the future of the Catholic Church.

"As a Person of the Church, as a priest and as a believer, I am deeply convinced that our credibility is on the game," said Lombardi.

As of Francis and his followers hoped for a strong Signal might look like at the end of the conference, specifically, is unclear. Many instruments of abuse in the Catholic Church and punished can be prevented, say Francis-followers, to give it formal already.

High expectations of the conference

the Importance of these instruments to apply consistent, even in countries that denied the Problem. In Africa, for example, is it in the Vatican, held many Church leaders abuse for a expression in front of all of the decadence of Europe and North America.

conference co-organizer Zollner says he could imagine that the participants communicate, for example, the formation of Task Forces in each of the countries, in order to ensure the implementation of the rules in the protection of children. Meeting with abuse victims during the conference to create in all of the Church leaders is a sensitivity to the subject.

In beginning today Kardinalsrat Francis with his key advisers, among them the German bishops ' conference Chairman Marx is expected to vote on its line for the conference.

Anti-abuse conference: week of the truth in the Vatican
Jörg Seisselberg, ARD Rome
17.02.2019 23:45 PM

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