Pedophilia, Pope: “Pain and shame, no more complicit silence”

“Pain” and “shame” for not always having protected minors from all forms of abuse. Enough of “complicit silence”. This is the Pope’s warning in a message sent to the conference ‘Promoting Child safeguarding at the time of Covid-19 and beyond “, organized by the Pope John XXIII Community with the Italian Catholic Action and the Italian Sports Center, in collaboration with the Center for the Victimology and Safety of the University of Bologna, which takes place today in Rome, at the Sala San Pio X. Bergoglio recalls that abuse is like a “death sentence” for those who suffer it and generates “deep cracks”. Hence the Pope’s appeal to “a systematic action of preventive alliance, it will be possible to eradicate the culture of death of which every form of abuse, sexual, of conscience, of power is the bearer.” Pope Francis, in his message, invokes a moral and spiritual conversion: “A journey that as a Church we are called to undertake all together, urged by pain and shame for not always having been good guardians protecting the minors who were entrusted to us in our educational activities and social. This process of conversion urgently requires a renewed formation of all those who have educational responsibilities and work in environments with minors, in the Church, in society, in the family “. Bergoglio utters unequivocal words:” If the abuse is an act of betrayal of the trust, which condemns those who suffer it to death and generates deep cracks in the context in which it occurs, prevention must be a permanent path to promote an ever-renewed and certain reliability towards life and the future, on which minors must be able to count . And this we, as adults, are called to guarantee them, rediscovering the vocation of “artisans of education” and striving to be faithful to it. This means encouraging the expression of the talents of those we accompany; respect the times, freedom and dignity; oppose by all means the temptations to seduce and induce, which only apparently can facilitate relations with the younger generations “. facing the wounds of abuse found in their peers. The contribution of young people, then, will be precious in recognizing situations at risk and in courageously recalling the whole community to its responsibility in safeguarding minors, to review the way of relating with the younger generations, so that they can return to ensuring their beauty. to meet, talk, play and dream “.” To adults – the Pope’s warning – who have shared this journey with young people, I hope to continue to be credible, that is to say responsible in their care and consistent in their witness. May they be promoters and custodians of a renewed educational alliance between generations and between the different contexts of growth of minors, capable of stimulating a generative and protective connection between them, especially in this complex time of pandemic. Finally, as lay associations, I urge you to persevere in this action of formation to co-responsibility, dialogue and transparency. The protection of minors is ever more concretely an ordinary priority in the educational action of the Church; is the promotion of an open, reliable and authoritative service, in firm contrast to any form of domination, disfigurement of intimacy and complicit silence “.