Pope Francis has condemned the longstanding sexual abuse within the Church on Friday at the Royal Palace in Laeken, where he addressed the nation, during his visit to Belgium.
The Catholic Church "must be ashamed and ask forgiveness" for the sexual violence committed against minors by clergy in Belgium, Pope Francis said in Brussels on Friday against a backdrop of high expectations from the victims.
"The Church must be ashamed and ask forgiveness, and seek to resolve this situation with Christian humility, and do everything possible to ensure that it does not happen again," the Argentine Pope said in a speech to the authorities in Brussels.
Pope Francis also said that he was "saddened" by the tragedy of the forced adoptions of children taken away from their mothers with the complicity of nuns in Belgium between the 1950s and 1970s. He did not, however, apologise to the victims.
"In these painful stories, the bitter fruit of a crime was mixed with what was unfortunately the result of a widespread mentality in all strata of society," he declared in a speech to the authorities in Brussels.
Pope Francis is greeted at the Royal Castle in Laeken, Brussels on Friday 27 September 2024. Credit: Belga / Dirk Waem
During his meeting with Pope on Friday, the King also chimed in to condemn the longstanding sexual abuses within the Church. "A terrible suffering was inflicted on children, which they carry with them for the rest of their lives. It took far too long to find ways to address the irreplaceable harm."
However, the King did acknowledge the efforts made by the Belgian Church to address the issue, emphasising that these efforts must continue resolutely and uncompromisingly.
The King also noted that the Pope has condemned the "horrific tragedy" of sexual abuse within the church and has taken steps to combat these "heinous acts."
Church must confront past
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo added his acknowledgement of the painful wounds within the Catholic community and society at large.
The outgoing Belgian head of government highlighted the significant damage to trust caused by numerous cases of sexual violence and forced adoptions.
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo gives a speech in front of the pope. Credit: Belga / Dirk Waem
De Croo emphasised that issues must not be silenced as this undermines everyone’s hard work. He called for concrete measures, stressing that victims must be heard and placed at the centre.
Victims deserve the truth, recognition of the atrocities, and justice, he insisted. He stated that this is not just a moral obligation but a necessary step to rebuild trust, advocating for the primacy of human dignity over institutional interests. De Croo concluded by asserting that for the Church to look to the future, it must confront its past.
The Pope left the palace around 11:00. In the afternoon, he will travel to Leuven, where he will meet with professors and students at KU Leuven to celebrate the institution's 600th birthday. The visit is causing several traffic disruptions in Brussels.
