Pope acknowledges sexual exploitation of nuns by priests

February 06, 2019

Pope Francis admitted that women religious have been sexually exploited by priests—and that the problem continues to this day—during his interview with reporters who had accompanied him on his visit to the United Arab Emirates.

“It’s true; it’s a problem,” the Pope said, in response to a question from Associated Press correspondent Nicole Winfield. “I would dare to say that humanity still hasn’t matured.”

Pope Francis went on to say that the exploitation of women is “a cultural problem,” and “in some civilizations a little stronger than in others.”

“We’ve been working on this for a long time,” the Pope continued, revealing that some priests have been suspended and some religious orders dissolved because of their involvement in sexual exploitation. He praised Pope Benedict XVI for taking action against a religious order that had been rife with “sexual and economic corruption”—an apparent reference to the Community of St. Jean in France, whose founder, Father Marie-Dominique Philippe, was found guilty of sexual misconduct with young women in the religious community. Pope Benedict dissolved the order.

Furthermore, Pope Francis revealed that when he first sought disciplinary action against the French congregation, in his capacity as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, then-Cardinal Ratzinger was thwarted, apparently by powerful opposition within the Vatican. “But when he became Pope, the first thing,” he began the disciplinary process.

 

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Further information:

• Pope publicly acknowledges clergy sexual abuse of nuns (AP)
• Full text of Pope's in-flight interview (CNA)
• Pope Acknowledges Nuns Were Sexually Abused by Priests and Bishops (New York Times)
• Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery (BBC)