Pope Francis Seeks Pardon for Abuse and Treatment of Women Ahead of Vatican Summit, Reports Reuters

By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY – On Tuesday, Pope Francis led a prayer service focused on seeking forgiveness for the shortcomings of the Catholic Church, particularly concerning the treatment of women and survivors of sexual abuse. The event took place as Catholic leaders prepared for a month-long summit at the Vatican.

During the ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica, an abuse survivor shared their testimony with the hundreds of bishops present, emphasizing how the abuse scandals have "shaken the faith of millions" and damaged the reputation of an institution many rely on for guidance.

The pope had recently returned from Belgium, where he encountered significant criticism during a foreign trip. The country’s king and prime minister called for more concrete actions to address the ongoing abuse crises, while leaders from two Catholic universities criticized his views on the roles of women in both the church and society.

As part of the service, seven cardinals—the Church’s senior leaders after the pope—requested forgiveness for various failings of the institution. Francis mentioned that he personally took the time to draft these requests, emphasizing the necessity of naming the Church’s sins clearly.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the retiring archbishop of Boston and leader of the Vatican’s commission on clergy sexual abuse, sought forgiveness for these abuses. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, formerly the bishop of Dallas and now the head of the Vatican’s laypeople’s department, asked for pardon for the Church’s failures in recognizing and defending the dignity of women.

Pope Francis stated that the purpose of the service was to begin healing wounds that persistently ache. "We ask forgiveness, feeling ashamed, from those who have been hurt by our sins," he expressed.

The Vatican summit, referred to as a synod, is set to commence on Wednesday and will include cardinals, bishops, and laypeople from over 110 countries. Attendees will vote on a final document in late October that could propose potential doctrinal changes.

Last year’s summit involved discussions on contentious topics like women’s ordination and blessings for same-sex couples. However, many of the most pressing issues for this synod have been designated for study groups, which will provide final reports to Pope Francis in June.