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ROME-Pope Francis told a gathering of bishops from around the world that the Catholic Church is being persecuted through accusations-an apparent allusion to clerical sex-abuse scandals that have undermined the credibility of the papacy and church hierarchy over this year's race.
Addressing the closing session of a synod of bishops at the Vatican on Saturday, the pope repeated warnings he has made in recent weeks against the "Great Accuser," or the devil, who "in this moment is accusing us strongly, and this accusation becomes persecution, "and who seeks to" soil the church. "
"This is the time to defend our mother" the church, said the pope, in the words of the author, who has failed to recognize the responsibility for the abuse crisis. "The accuser is attacking our mother through us, and no one touches our mother."
The gathering of more than 250 Catholics and helping them find roles in the church, whether or not priests, nuns or lay members.
In the past 30 years of the world, where they were inspired by the clapping and cheering during some of the speeches.
A published agenda for the meeting made only by way of abuse, but after months of scandals in the US, Latin America and Australia-and the claim by a Vatican diplomat that Pope Francis himself had ignored sexual misconduct by a US cardinal-the subject inevitably loomed over the proceedings.
Bishops regularly addressed clerical sex abuse during the first week of the monthlong synod, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Ireland told reporters on Friday.
The 60-page final document, released late Saturday, quoted from the English version of the article, "Challenging measures of prevention," starting with the selection and education of clergy and other church employees. Quoting Francis Pope, the document lays much of the blame for sex abuse on "clericalism," or an excessive deference to the church's hierarchy.
The final document is "frankly inadequate and disappointing on the abuse matter," Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, a member of the council that organized the synod, said in an email. "There is very little sense of heartfelt apology in the text."
The archbishop, who had previously called the gathering of the sex-abuse crisis, said Saturday that "church leaders outside the United States and a few other countries dealing with the problem clearly do not understand its scope and gravity . "
Some bishops from the developing world have been overemphasizing sex abuse at the synod, according to Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who helped draft the final document, which touches on topics from migration to the internet and their impact on the lives of young Catholics.
"Cardinal Gracias, who is also a top adviser to Pope Francis, told the Catholic website Crux. "The statement should answer the needs of the United States, Ireland, Australia, but not just them."
Another split between developed and developed countries in the world of gay people. The working document made by LGBT, apparently for the first time in an official Vatican document.
But the African bishops at the synod overwhelmingly opposed the use of LGBT, arguing it would create ambiguity about the church's prohibition of any sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman.
"We have got a very strong tradition in Africa of families, family life, and division of the sexes is very, very clear. If we come out with unclear statements, that same-sex attraction is OK and so on, it's going to be completely misunderstood, "Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa, said in an interview.
The term LGBT does not appear in the final document, which denounces "any discrimination and violence on the basis of sex."
Write to Francis X. Rocca at [email protected]
