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Vatican wants accountability for abusers and their protectors

VATICAN (CNS): Greg Burke, head of the Vatican press office, called the abuses described in a 900-page grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse in Pennsylvania, the United States “criminal and morally reprehensible.” 
 
He said, “Those acts were betrayals of trust that robbed survivors of their dignity and their faith. The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur.” 
 
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Pope to meet abuse survivors in Ireland

VATICAN (CNS): Pope Francis will meet survivors of sexual abuse during his August 25 to 26 trip to Ireland, but it will be up to the survivors to decide whether any information about the meeting will be released, said the director of the Vatican press office.
 
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Listening must lead to action abuse survivors say

VATICAN  (CNS): Pope Francis’ planned meeting with abuse survivors from Chile could mark a turning point in how the Catholic Church deals not just with prevention, but especially with how it responds to accusations.
 
The pope has said he wanted the meetings with three survivors, from April 27 to 29 individually and on April 30 as a group, to be his chance to ask for forgiveness and express his pain and shame for what they have suffered.