With regard to the Ombudsman's report on sexual abuse in the Church, and, above all, in relation to the extrapolations that have been made from the data presented in the GAD3 survey attached to the report, I would just like to make the following three considerations:
First: the Church - faithful laity, religious, hierarchy - wants and seeks only truth, love and justice. The truth consists in facts, not in demoscopic "estimates", which raise perplexity, social alarm, discredit, vilification and serious danger of defamation, in a matter so painful and delicate for everyone. Thank God, there are many people, both outside and inside the Church, who do not allow themselves to be carried away by this type of speculation.
Second, the Church looks at the victims and desires only to listen, to heal and to repair, as far as possible, their wounds. They are her sons and daughters who have suffered a grave injustice that has painfully conditioned their entire lives. The Church wishes to treat them with the love of Jesus Christ. She asks and has repeatedly asked forgiveness for the past actions of some of her children, who did not know how to see and appreciate the gravity and injustice that was being done to innocent victims. The Church is well aware today that sexual abuse is not only a grave sin, but also a crime that must be punished in the canonical forum and that she must collaborate with the judicial authorities of the States for its investigation and resolution also in the civil forum.
Third, the Church also looks with pity and sorrow on the victimizers, helping them - always safeguarding the presumption of innocence, as long as the crime is not proven - to assume their painful rehabilitation. They are also her children and she desires that, as far as possible, they come to a personal healing and reparation for the victims.
The light and life of the Church is the Gospel, which can never go hand in hand with injustice and lack of love and truth.
