Pope: Church must eradicate situations that protect abusers

By Devin Watkins

“Humanizing relationships in any society, including the Church, means working tirelessly to form mature, coherent individuals who, firm in their faith and ethical principles, are capable of confronting evil, bearing witness to the truth in capital letters.”

Pope Francis offered that consideration on Tuesday in a message sent to participants in the 3rd Latin American Congress, taking place in Panama on March 12-14.

Promoted by the Center for the Protection of Minors (CEPROME), the event has gathered Church representatives from across the region to reflect on the theme: “Vulernability and abuse: Towards a broader view of prevention”.

Eradicating scourge of abuse

In his message, the Pope entrusted to the Lord the Church’s efforts to eradicate “the scourge of abuse in all areas of society.”

He recalled his audience in the Vatican with members of CEPROME on September 25, 2023. At the time, he highlighted the Church’s commitment to discover the “suffering face of Jesus in each of the victims.”

Pope Francis also encouraged participants to pray for the conversion of all sinners, including abusers, while working to prevent all forms of abuse.

Understanding vulnerability

Considering the issue with the eyes of God, he added, can help us better understand our own vulnerability.

“Seeing our own weakness as an excuse to stop being full persons and complete Christians, incapable of taking control of their destiny, will create childish, resentful people,” he said, “and in no way represents the littleness to which Jesus invites us.”

Rather, said Pope Francis, Christians are called to find strength in our weaknesses while trusting in God's grace (cf. 2 Cor 12:8-10).

By finding our strength and trust in God, he noted, “we will be able to face life’s contradictions and contribute to the common good in the vocation to which we have been called.”

Rooting out situations that protect abusers

Pope Francis went on to call for the Church to root out structures that protect people who abuse others.

“In terms of prevention,” he said, “our efforts must undoubtedly aim to eradicate situations that protect those who hide behind their position to impose themselves on others in a perverse manner, but also to understand why they are incapable of relating to others in a healthy way.”

The Pope noted that any society not based on the premises of moral integrity “will be a sick society,” whose relationships will wind up perverted by selfishness, fear, and deceit.

Pope Francis concluded his message to the 3rd Latin American Congress by inviting participants to entrust their “weakness to the strength that the Lord gives us.”