Church must seek forgiveness for child sexual abuse – Pope

Pope Francis stated on Friday that the Catholic Church must “seek forgiveness” for the “scourge” of child sexual abuse during his visit to Belgium, a country grappling with its troubled ecclesiastical history.

In an address to political and civil society leaders at Laeken Palace, he condemned the “tragic instances of child abuse” as a blemish on the Church’s reputation. “This is our shame and humiliation,” he remarked, emphasizing that the Church must acknowledge its failures and pursue reconciliation.

The 87-year-old pontiff is set to meet with a group of survivors of clerical sexual abuse in Brussels later today as part of his three-day visit, which comes amid ongoing scandals and cover-ups that have marred the Church’s image in Belgium.

This meeting, scheduled for 6:30 pm (1630 GMT) at the Vatican’s diplomatic mission, will be conducted with “the utmost discretion,” following a recent documentary that reignited public interest in the abuse crisis and encouraged more victims to step forward. Some survivors have called for the Pope to directly address issues of pedophilia and establish a system for financial reparations.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo commented that “words alone are not enough,” stressing the need for tangible actions to accompany the Pope’s message.

Pope Francis described the abuse scandal as a “scourge” the Church is confronting with seriousness, focusing on listening to survivors and implementing global prevention measures. He has made tackling sexual abuse within the Church a cornerstone of his papacy, advocating for a “zero tolerance” approach in light of widespread abuse allegations.

Additionally, he expressed sorrow over a forced adoption scandal in Belgium, where institutions operated by nuns took babies from thousands of underage girls and unmarried women. “We see how the bitter fruit of wrongdoing mixed with the prevailing societal views of that time,” he remarked.

Estimates suggest that between 1945 and the 1980s, as many as 30,000 children were taken from their mothers in Belgium. In 2023, Belgian bishops offered apologies and called for an independent inquiry after new testimonies surfaced from women claiming they were “sold” by the Church to adoptive families.

De Croo noted that incidents of child sexual abuse and forced adoptions have severely undermined trust between the Church and society.

In a sign of the ongoing challenges, an open-air mass scheduled for the conclusion of Francis’s trip had to be modified last minute due to the closing hymn being composed by a priest accused of sexual abuse, prompting Archbishop Luc Terlinden to acknowledge the Church’s need for better oversight of such cases.

Pope Francis arrived in Belgium after a day in Luxembourg, where he advocated for global diplomacy amid rising conflicts. He was greeted by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and will meet with academics at the Catholic University of Leuven, which is celebrating its 600th anniversary.

During his 46th international trip, he will also engage with clergy at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and discuss climate issues with students in Louvain-la-Neuve. The last papal visit to Brussels occurred in 1995 when Pope John Paul II celebrated the beatification of Saint Damien, known for his work with lepers.

While nearly 65 percent of Belgium’s population identifies as Christian, including 58 percent as Catholic, these numbers are declining, reflecting a broader trend across Europe. During his general audience, Francis expressed hope that his visit would inspire “a new impetus of faith.”