Cardinal O’Malley: Pope’s words 'a source of great pain' for abuse survivors

Boston, Mass., Jan 20, 2018 / 15:25 pm

The chairman of the Vatican's commission on sexual abuse has said that recent comments from Pope Francis were painful and alienating to survivors of clerical sexual abuse.

"It is understandable that Pope Francis' statements yesterday in Santiago, Chile were a source of great pain for survivors of sexual abuse by clergy or any other perpetrator," said Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, in a Jan. 20 statement.  

The statement refers to a comment made by Pope Francis to a Chilean reporter Jan. 18. The Pope was asked about Bishop Juan Barros, a Chilean accused by four victims of clerical sexual abuse of colluding with their abuser to cover up his crimes. Barros, who has maintained his innocence, has been a subject of controversy since his 2015 appointment to lead the Diocese of Osorno.

"The day they bring me proof against Bishop Barros, I'll speak," Pope Francis told the reporter. "There is not one shred of proof against him. It's all calumny. Is that clear?"

O'Malley said that "not having been personally involved in the cases that were the subject of yesterday's interview I cannot address why the Holy Father chose the particular words he used at that time."

"What I do know, however, is that Pope Francis fully recognizes the egregious failures of the Church and its clergy who abused children and the devastating impact those crimes have had on survivors and their loved ones."

The Pope has long been a defender of Barros.  

On May 6, 2015, five months after Barros was appointed to lead the Diocese of Osorno, Deacon Jaime Coiro, general secretary of the Chilean episcopal conference, told Pope Francis that the Church in Osorno "is praying and suffering for you."

"Osorno suffers, yes," Pope Francis said, "for silliness." According to a video of the conversation released by Chile's Ahora Noticias, the Pope told Coiro that "the only accusation against that bishop was discredited by the judicial court."

"Think with your head, and do not be carried away by the noses of the leftists, who are the ones who put this thing together," the Pope added.

O'Malley was appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors when it was established by the Pope in 2014. He is widely lauded for his leadership in the Archdiocese of Boston after the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law, amid widespread reports of clerical sexual abuse under Law's leadership.

"Words that convey the message 'if you cannot prove your claims then you will not be believed' abandon those who have suffered reprehensible criminal violations of their human dignity and relegate survivors to discredited exile," O'Malley's statement read.

"My prayers and concern will always be with the survivors and their loved ones. We can never undo the suffering they experienced or fully heal their pain," he added.

"In some cases we must accept that even our efforts to offer assistance can be a source of distress for survivors and that we must quietly pray for them while providing support in fulfillment of our moral obligation. I remain dedicated to work for the healing of all who have been so harmed and for vigilance in doing all that is possible to ensure the safety of children in the community of the Church so that these crimes never happen again."