NPR

Pope Francis Tells Abusive Priests And Bishops To Turn Themselves In

Priests who sexually abuse children are like Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ, Pope Francis told a gathering of cardinals on Friday.
Pope Francis told a gathering of cardinals Friday that clergy who break their vows by sexually abusing children are similar to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis is urging predator priests who have raped or molested children to turn themselves in "to human justice, and prepare for divine justice," devoting part of his Christmas message to the abuse scandals that he said have undermined the Catholic Church in 2018.

As cardinals and other church luminaries listened in the Vatican's ornate Clementine Hall on Friday, Francis also compared priests who break their vows to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus

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