The Vatican is disputing the accuracy of comments attributed to Pope Francis on priestly celibacy and the extent of paedophilia in the clergy.
On July 13, Rome daily La Repubblica ran an article by its former editor Eugenio Scalfari, based on an interview he did with the Pope on July 10.
The Pope reportedly described the abuse of children in the Church as “leprosy”.
“Many collaborators on my side provided me [with] reliable data which estimate a rate of two per cent of paedophilia within the Catholic Church,” the Pope reportedly told the 90-year-old Scalfari.
The Roman Pontiff stressed that “this data should reassure me, but it does not. I find it very grave”.
“Two per cent of paedophiles are priests and even bishops and cardinals,” the Pope continued.
The low number does not mean it is not a serious problem, the Pope said, adding that there is more abuse taking place, but victims are not reporting it.
Pope Francis said he would address the issue “with the severity required”.
Speaking on priestly celibacy, the Pope reportedly told Scalfari that it “was established in the tenth century, 900 years after Our Lord’s death”, adding that “the priests of Eastern Catholic Church are already allowed to marry”.
“There is a problem, but it is not a great deal. Time is needed, but there are solutions, and I will find them,” Pope Francis reportedly said.
Soon after the article appeared, Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said Scalfari had been working from memory, not from a recorded interview.
This is Scalfari’s admitted practice, even with Pope Francis.
While agreeing the article conveyed the “sense and spirit” of the conversation, Fr Lombardi said two statements in particular cannot be attributed to the Pope.
“That is when the Pope says that there are cardinals amongst the ranks of paedophile priests and also when he says in relation to the question of priestly celibacy that he ‘will find a solution’,” Fr Lombardi explained.
The Vatican spokesman questioned whether Scalfari was trying to manipulate naive readers.
This is the third meeting between Scalfari, who is a non-believer, and Pope Francis.
Sources