杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch - Brussels

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� first full day here in Brussels began with a meeting with the King and Prime Minister in the Royal Palace of Laeken.

Both praised the 杏MAP导航 for his commitment to intercultural dialogue and his care for the poor. They also took the opportunity to reflect on the ongoing harm caused the sex abuse scandal within the Catholic Church, which was particularly keenly felt in Belgium

The King referred to this as an 鈥渦nspeakable tragedy鈥� that took 鈥渇ar too long鈥� to come to light. In his own remarks, the 杏MAP导航 described it as 鈥漮ur shame and humiliation鈥�, and stressed that the Church must 鈥渕ake every effort鈥� to ensure that nothing of the kind can ever happen again.

Then, that afternoon, the 杏MAP导航 made the short journey to Leuven, home to a prestigious, 600 year-old Catholic University.

In a long and thoughtful address to the 杏MAP导航, the university鈥檚 rector, Luc Sels, reflected on Leuven鈥檚 dual identity as both rooted in the Catholic tradition and open to the modern world.

鈥淥ur academic work is open,鈥� he said, 鈥渨ithout prejudice or barriers. It is precisely this independence which perhaps constitutes our greatest value to the Church. Our university can be a critical partner, a place for open discussion on ethical, social and philosophical issues, a centre of critical and fair reflection that inspires but also challenges the Catholic community. A centre of reflection that also dares to challenge society on the basis of this Christian worldview.鈥�

Then, in the evening, came one of the most hotly anticipated moments of the trip: the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 private meeting with survivors of clerical sexual abuse.

The meeting lasted over two hours, and was an opportunity, the Holy See Press Office said, for the victims 鈥渢o share their personal stories and suffering with the Holy Father, as well as to express their expectations for the Church鈥檚 continued efforts in combating the scourge of abuse.鈥�

Speaking to the Dutch-language newspaper De Morgen directly after the meeting, one of the survivors said that the 杏MAP导航 鈥渟poke with his heart鈥�. It was a "beautiful experience鈥�, she said.