Pope meets with clerical sex abuse survivors in Belgium

By Vatican News 

At the end of the first full day of his apostolic visit to Belgium, Pope Francis met with 17 survivors of abuse perpetrated by members of the clergy in Belgium.

A statement issued by the Holy See Press Office via Telegram on Friday evening noted that the meeting took place after his return to the Apostolic Nunciature where he is staying in Brussels.

“The encounter, which lasted over two hours, provided the victims an opportunity to share their personal stories and suffering with the Holy Father, as well as to express their hopes for the Church’s continued efforts in combating the scourge of abuse,” it said.

The Holy See Press Office also said that “Pope Francis listened attentively to their experiences, offering his closeness to their pain.”

“He expressed deep gratitude for their courage and voiced his profound sense of shame for the abuses they endured as children at the hands of priests who were meant to protect them,” the statement added.

Concluding, it revealed that “The Holy Father also took note of the requests they presented for further study.”

The meeting concluded shortly before 9:00 pm local time.