Pope Francis: No Tolerance for Sexual Abuse

Pope Francis emphasized that the Catholic Church should have "no tolerance whatsoever" for cases of sexual abuse, which he described as "brutal," according to excerpts from an interview he conducted with a Portuguese television channel. In the interview with "TVI/CNN Portugal," excerpts of which were published on the channel's website, the Pope stated, "This is very clear. There is absolutely no tolerance. A priest cannot continue to be a priest if he is an abuser. He cannot because he is either sick or a criminal." He added, "It is brutal because it destroys souls.. I do not deny the abuses. One abuse is truly brutal." The Pope also mentioned that he intends to visit Portugal during World Youth Day, a global gathering for young Catholics held from August 1 to 6, 2023. He said, "I am thinking of going there."