Pope comments on paedophilia - Time for action on clerical abuse

The declaration by Pope Francis, describing paedophilia as one of the “vilest” of crimes, is the clearest indication yet that he may be prepared finally to tackle the issue of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church.

His promise to bring justice to victims of clerical abuse is welcome.

“The abuse of minors is one of the vilest and most heinous crimes conceivable,” he said in his annual address to ambassadors to the Holy See, swearing to “render justice to minors”.

What would be even more welcome is if he followed those fine words with real action.

His record, along with that of his immediate predecessors, is not good. In a 2001 apology, Pope John Paul II called sexual abuse within the Church “a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ” but did nothing about it.

Benedict XVI went further than that, meeting victims and speaking of his shame at the Church’s failure to tackle the abuse but, again, did nothing concrete. In January of last year, Pope Francis first accused victims of fabricating

evidence, accusing victims of Chile’s most notorious paedophile of slander. It took him until April to apologise for what he described as a “tragic error”.

That apology can only be accepted fully if he follows his latest remarks with concrete measures either to prosecute abusers or help victims — preferably both.

Those who suffered abuse by Catholic Church clerics deserve nothing less.