Pope in Brussels: ‘Shame’ for child abuse

Brussels – Pope Francis arrived last night (Sept. 26), beginning his trip to Belgium. The official reason for the visit is the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven, divided into the Flemish KU Leuven and the French-speaking UCLouvain.

After a brief stop in Luxembourg this morning, the Pope delivered the first official address of his apostolic visit in the royal palace of Laeken in the presence of royal authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. There are two key themes: recalling the importance of peace through Belgian history and strongly condemning child abuse.

Due to its history and geographic location, Belgium is a reminder that peace and harmony​ are not guaranteed but rather a “mission that needs to be undertaken unceasingly, with great care and patience.” In an interview, the Pontiff emphasized, “Right now, Belgium has a very important role. We are close, almost, to a world war.” Reflecting on Belgian history, the Pope expressed hope that states would learn from it and dedicate themselves to peace-building. He also cautioned that “in some countries, the investment that makes the most profits is the investment in arms.”

King Philippe expressed his support for the Pope’s message of peace and reiterated the Pontiff’s clear denunciation regarding “what he lucidly calls a third world war in pieces.” Likewise, he acknowledged Francis’s great commitment to combat sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by members of the Church. The phenomenon in March shook Belgian public opinion for the umpteenth time, with Bishop Emeritus of Bruges Roger Vangheluwe being dismissed from the clerical state for abuses committed when he was a priest.

The voices of the victims have gone unheard for a long time, according to the King. The Pontiff “has taken concrete actions to combat this vile violence. Children have been horribly treated, marked for life. The same is true for victims of forced adoption,” the ruler declared.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre De Croo used harsher words, reiterating the centrality of human dignity over the interests of the church as an institution. “To be able to look into the future, the Church needs to come clean on its past,” he said.

On these issues, the Pontiff expressed deep regret, welcoming the criticism heaped on the Catholic Church. “Even for a single case that occurs, the Church must ask forgiveness: this is our shame and our humiliation,” he said. Similarly, he speaks of forced adoptions, that is, the taking away of the children of single mothers to “remove the negative stigma,” a horror that he says “saddens” him.

The visit, according to the Belga news agency, sparked new outrage over widespread abuse in the Belgian Church over the years. The Pontiff will also meet with 15 victims of sexual abuse but “in absolute discretion.”

This afternoon (Sept. 27), the Pontiff will visit the University of Louvain for its anniversary. There will also be meetings with church leaders in the coming days. Saturday, he will give a public address at the Koekelberg Basilica in Brussels. Sunday, Mass at King Baudouin Stadium, and then return to Rome.