Pope Francis is to meet with a group of clergy sex abuse victims for the first time, possibly as early as next week.
During an impromptu media session on his flight back from the Holy Land, the Pope said the meeting would take place in the first week in June.
Six to eight victims would attend and these would come from various countries, including Germany, England and Ireland, he said.
Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the head of the new safeguarding commission, would be present, the Pope noted.
But Boston archdiocese and a Vatican spokesman indicated no date had yet been set for the meeting.
They expect it to happen in a few months time.
Pope Francis is not known ever to have met with a group of sex abuse victims, something Pope Benedict did several times in various countries.
Marie Collins, a sex abuse survivor from Ireland whom the Pope named to the child protection commission, met him at the Vatican in May.
Pope Francis told reporters that sexual abuse of children by priests was an “ugly crime” and compared it to performing “a satanic Mass”.
“Such abuse is a betrayal of the Lord’s body,” he said.
“We must move ahead, ahead, zero tolerance,” he added.
Pope Francis said there would be no preferential treatment when it comes to child abuse.
The Church cannot have privileged “daddy’s boys”, exempt from punishment when it comes to sex abuse of minors, he said.
He noted that three bishops are currently under investigation and one has been found guilty, with punishments pending.
Francis did not say whether this was for abusing minors or for covering up abuse by others.
A spokesman for the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests dismissed the planned meaning as a meaningless public relations gesture.
SNAP executive director David Clohessy called the meeting “another nice bit of symbolism that will leave no child better off and bring no real reform to a continuing, scandal-ridden Church hierarchy”.
Other victims’ advocacy groups welcomed the Pope’s announcement.
Pope Francis also answered reporters’ questions on investigations into Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, priestly celibacy, communion for divorced and remarried Catholics and Pope Pius XII.
The Pontiff also announced visits to Sri Lanka and the Philippines in January.
Sources