The Pope and the Sex Abuse Scandal

October 14, 2015
New York Times

Pope Francis had to backtrack after he outraged the victims of pedophile clerics by speaking sympathetically, during his trip to the United States, about how the scandal had affected bishops and priests. Then, last week, avideo was broadcast showing him calling the residents of a Chilean town “dumb” for protesting a bishop who has been accused of being complicit in the crimes one abusive priest.

Is Pope Francis taking the scandal seriously enough? Has he properly addressed problems of thousands of victims of priestly abuse and the concerted efforts of church officials to cover up?

Read the Room for Debate here.

Last modified 

October 15, 2015