For Pope Francis, abuses in the Church are "an urgent challenge of our time"

Pope Francis today described abuses perpetrated in the Church as "an urgent challenge of our time", asking the faithful to pray for the success of the anti-pedophilia summit to be held from 21 to 24 February at the Vatican. .

"From Thursday to Sunday will be held at the Vatican a meeting of presidents of all episcopal conferences on the issue of the protection of minors in the Church," he said Sunday at the Angelus, on St. Peter's Square.

Next week's meeting, at which the pope will participate full time, will also bring together the head of the Argentine Church, Bishop Oscar Ojea, from representatives from around the world.

"I invite you to pray for this meeting, which I wanted as an act of pastoral responsibility facing an urgent challenge of our time," said the pope on Sunday.

The meeting will begin Thursday with a video with testimonies of victims of abuse in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican, will include working tables with the participation of people abused by members of the Church and will end Sunday with a special Mbad at the Sala Regia del Apostolic Palace. (Télam)