“Denounce sexual scandals lest they lead the youth away” warns Pope Francis

Pope Francis said that he is aware of the negative feelings many young people have toward the Catholic Church and admitted that the reason for this was in a lack of clear denunciation of sexual scandals happening inside the Church. “Young people are outraged by sexual and economic scandals that do not meet with clear condemnation”, he stated. The Holy Father was addressing youth at an ecumenical gathering in Kaarli Lutheran Church in Tallinn.

The Pope observed that many young people do not turn to us for anything because they don’t feel we have anything meaningful to say to them. He pointed to the Instrumentum Laboris of the upcoming Synod and what it says young people want from the Church. He said the Church has heard these complaints and wants to be a “transparent, welcoming, honest” community.

 “Today, I am here to tell you that we want to mourn with you when you mourn, to accompany and support you, to share in your joys, and to help you to be followers of the Lord” the Holy Father said the youth gathered there. Urging the young people to be fearless, the Pontiff said that “Jesus is still the reason for our being here. We know no greater peace of mind can be found than by letting Jesus carry our burdens.”

“We are united by our faith in Jesus, and he is waiting for us to bring him to all those young people whose lives are no longer meaningful. Let us accept together that newness that God brings to our life, that newness that impels us to set out anew to all those places where humanity is most wounded,” he encouraged.