Pope Francis today admitted that Catholic Church hierarchies shielded the crimes of pedophile priests.
The Pontiff stated this hours after meeting people who were abused in their youth by members of the clergy.
Speaking to journalists on the return flight from Philadelphia to Rome, at the end of his pilgrimage to Cuba and the United States, the pope said abusing children was ‘almost a sacrilege’ and a betrayal of the call of God for a priest.
“And those who have covered up these things are also guilty, even some bishops have covered up, it is a very bad thing,” the pontiff stressed.
On Sunday, Francis spent about 30 minutes with three women and two men who were s3xually abused by clergy members.
“I promise that all those responsible for the s3xual abuse of children will be punished,” Francis later told a gathering of bishops, saying he felt “deep shame” about the acts.
Pope Francis told the audience that these crimes can no longer be kept secret, and said ‘God weeps’ because of them.