Courtney McGrail
Pope Francis has apologised for scandals in Rome and the Vatican, without saying which scandals he has in mind.
Speaking at his Wednesday audience in St Peter’s Square, he said that “Jesus is realistic and it is inevitable that scandals occur,” continuing, “But woe to the person who causes scandal. Before I start this catechesis, I’d like to ask you for forgiveness, in the name of the church, for the scandals that have occurred both in Rome and in the Vatican in recent times.”
Commentators have speculated that the Pope may have been referring to how a priest in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had admitted to being in a relationship and condemned Church teaching as homophobic, allegations of sexual impropriety on the part of Carmelite priests in Rome, the resignation of Rome’s mayor, Ignazio Marino, after press reports that the Pope was unhappy with him, or the controversial “Cardinals’ letter” that was leaked a week into the synod.
The Pope’s focus in his audience on the need to love our children suggests that the Church’s abuse scandals may have been foremost in his mind.
