Editor’s Note: While Catechist.com is not a news outlet reporting on breaking news in the Catholic Church; we have been striving to keep catechists and catechetical leaders informed when it comes to major movements regarding the church sex-abuse scandals. As many news outlets have reported, Pope Francis is calling together bishops from around the world to a summit meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church. It will take place at the Vatican, Feb. 21-24, 2019.
Expectations for this event vary widely as to its proposed content and its hope for efficacy in dealing with the ongoing global crises of sexual abuse within the Church, and the compassionate care of victims of abuse.
We offer, below, some of the interesting web pages from the official website regarding this meeting, as well as a roundup of some of the hopes, concerns, and commentary of Catholic leaders and laity.
Finally, at the bottom of this page, we will update news items related to the meeting itself.
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Official Links:
Website of the Vatican Meeting
Statement prior to the meeting from religious superiors [PDF]
The Spiritual Wounds of Sexual Abuse — by Fr. Han Zoller, SJ [PDF]
Hopes and concerns/ News of related interest:
Vatican News Editorial in advance of the Vatican meeting
Catholic Digest: A Crisis Point in the Church
Crux: Follow up will be key to pope’s abuse summit
Crux: Church’s leading reformer on sex abuse warns of more McCarricks
Catholic News Agency: Analysis: What can the Vatican Sex-Abuse Summit Deliver?
National Catholic Register: Vatican Sets the Stage for Abuse Summit
OSV news: Abuse Summit Preview: ‘We need a change in attitude.’
Vatican News Story: Holy See: McCarrick dismissed from the clerical state for abuse
USCCB statement on Feb. 16, 2019, on Theodore McCarrick
Catholic Digest / LaCroix International: McCarrick’s defrocking a step in the right direction
LaCroix International: Religious orders admit to covering up abuse and seek forgiveness
The Boston Pilot: Where is the Spirit Leading Us?
The Meeting itself and beyond:
Official Vatican Sources:
Pope Francis proposes 21 reflection points for discussions
The Bishops heard testimonies from survivors of sexual abuse
Texts of speeches/presentations given at the meeting
The text of the Pope’s concluding speech at the end of the meeting
Other Sources:
Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis – Church will focus on 8 points in ‘all-out battle’ against abuse
National Catholic Register (news analysis): The Vatican Abuse Meeting: Passing the McCarrick Test
Catholic News Service/ The Boston Pilot: Summit affirms need to hold bishops accountable, US Cardinal says
America magazine: Vatican sex abuse summit: What you need to know (multiple links on this page.)
Crux Now: (news analysis by John L. Allen Jr.) Four take-aways from the pope’s summit on clerical sexual abuse More coverage from Crux here, (multiple links)
Wall Street Journal: Pope Vows to Combat Sex Abuse but Critics Say He Falls Short
