Responses to Statement by Pope Francis on the culture of abuse: 'Letter to the People of God '

On Monday, 20 August, Pope Francis published a letter acknowledging 'once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons' and called for the commitment of the entire ecclesiastical community, to 'uproot the culture of abuse'.

The letter can be read in full here on the Vatican website

Catholic Religious Australia (CRA), of which the four Australian Mercy congregations are members, 'strongly supports Pope Francis’ Letter to the People of God written about the sexual abuse in the Church and shares in his determination to keep all safe in our Church, especially the young and the vulnerable.'

The Statement can be read in full here on the CRA website

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) of which the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is a member, has issued  a Statement 'call[ing] upon the church leadership to implement plans immediately to support more fully the healing of all victims of clergy abuse, hold abusers accountable, and work to uncover and address the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis'.

The Statement can be read in full online here on the LCWR website

The Conference of Religious England & Wales (CoR) the Mercy leaders of England and Wales belong 'shares in the profound shock and sadness that continues to arise as we are confronted by information about the sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy and people in positions of responsibility in Catholic institutions'.

The Statement can be read in full on the CoR website

 Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - CEO MIA