In a rare move, Pope Francis thanked journalists for uncovering the numerous sexual abuse within the Catholic Church which the Vatican initially tried to cover up prior to his ascending to his post.
DURING a ceremony to honor two veteran Vatican correspondents, Pope Francis praised the “mission” of journalists in uncovering the truth and in countering online misinformation.
Last Saturday (Nov. 13), Philip Pullella of Reuters and Valentina Alazraki of Mexico's Noticieros Televisa were given the grand cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX for covering the Vatican for more than 40 years.
The grand cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX is the highest papal honor bestowed on lay people who are not heads of state.
“I also thank you for what you tell us about what is wrong in the church, for helping us not to hide it under the carpet, and for the voice you have given to the victims of abuse,” Pope Francis said.
Francis has consistently expressed ‘shame’ and sadness over the countless reports of clergy sex abuse even as survivors were accusing the Vatican of lack of progress and accountability.
In 2019, the Pope abolished the ‘Top Secret’ status of sexual violence cases and the abuse of minors committed by members of the clergy.
While the 2002 bombshell report from The Boston Globe uncovered the Catholic abuse crisis, a 2012 report found that 330,000 children were sexually abused by clergy or lay members of France’s Catholic Church since 1970.
While many in the news media have accepted Pope Francis’ thankful message, others wait for the Vatican’s next move, in case the message is merely a buffer from any scandals in the future.
Tags: #PopeFrancis, #thankful, #Churchscandal, #journalists