Energetic: Pope Francis © Vincenzo Pinto
Energetic call: Pope Francis has called for internal church prosecution of abuse and other serious crimes "with rigor and transparency". It is necessary to protect the "violated human dignity, especially of children".
He said this Thursday to staff of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is responsible for such procedures.
At the same time, he encouraged the curia authority to revise the norms in question. Legal procedures need to become more effective and organic, Francis said. Currently, the Vatican is working to merge the various laws and decrees on how to deal with sexual abuse and cover-ups.
Erosion in general awareness of human dignity
At the reception to mark the annual meeting of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the pope also stressed that Christian doctrine must renew itself "from generation to generation" while remaining faithful to its foundation. At the same time, he lamented an erosion in the general awareness of human dignity. This would be at the expense of solidarity and fraternity.
He particularly called for attention to the seriously and terminally ill. No one should be abandoned in the face of incurable suffering.
"Because of its eternal destiny, human life preserves all its value and dignity in all circumstances, even in uncertainty and fragility," the pope said.