Pope Francis apologizes for upsetting sex abuse survivors but stands by controversial bishop

Source: Washington Post

Pope Francis apologized for remarks he made last week defending a bishop in Chile accused of covering up sexual abuse, but he did not back down from his support of the bishop who has caused a firestorm. The pope’s remarks had caused widespread backlash among abuse survivors and even prompted criticism from Cardinal Seán O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston and the pope’s top adviser on clerical sex abuse.

Francis said that he realized his words hurt many, but he repeated his view that Chilean Bishop Juan Barros — the bishop at the center of the controversy — is innocent, according to reporters on the papal plane flying back to Rome.

“The drama of those abused is terrible,” the pope said.

Last week, the pope said victims who had accused Barros were committing slander, which drew criticism from O’Malley in Boston.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/01/22/pope-francis-apologizes-for-upsetting-sex-abuse-survivors-but-stands-by-controversial-bishop/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_pope-12pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.595c5a9dbc1e