Sexual Assault Victim Details His Conversation with the Pope

On Tuesday, Juan Carlos Cruz—a gay Chilean man who was sexually abused by priests in his home country—talked to the BBC about the private meeting he had with Pope Francis.

Cruz said that the meeting took place in the Vatican during April. He said that, after telling the Pope about his history with sexual abuse done by priests, Pope Francis responded by apologizing “in the name of the universal church”.

Cruz was abused by the Chilean priest Fernando Karadima. Cruz maintains that throughout the three-hour meeting, the Pope showed himself to be very upset while hearing his story—apologizing explicitly several times.

Cruz also stated that “[Pope Francis] was extremely kind, extremely gracious” and that “It was an apology that was by no means fake or false”. He also mentioned that, while apologizing, the Pontiff admitted feeling like he was part of the problem and that he originally didn’t understand its stakes.

Moving forward on the interview, Cruz mentioned the several homophobic and abusive comments that he was given by Chilean priests: he was told that he was living a “life of perversion” and that he “probably liked the abuse because [he] was gay”. He continued to talk about his conversation with the pontiff, saying: “I told him that I kept my faith and that I try to be a good person and not hurt anybody.”

Pope Francis stated that Cruz was created by God as a gay man, and still loved him for it, as well as highlighting the fact that Cruz had to love himself first and foremost. Cruz described the Pope’s response to his narration as something liberating and incredible to hear from the Holy Father.

When the Pope went to visit Chile during January, he expressed “pain and shame” over the sexual abuse scandal surrounding Chilean priests, asking for forgiveness from his followers and the victims. His visit was also marked by protests by Chilean clergy members who denounced the abuse and cover-up.

The case of Father Karadima, who has been accused of sexually abusing several young boys—including a young Juan Carlos Cruz—caused a significant reaction from both Chilean and Latin-American clergy, especially considering Karadima was a rather influential figure in the Catholic Church. While the priest had never been subject to prosecution, since a lot of time has passed since the assault, the judge who heard the testimonies called them “reliable”.

Not only has the Pope apologized for the “irreparable harm” the priests have caused, but he mentioned that dealing with this issue is integral to the Church’s reliability and credibility.

However, during his trip to South America during January, he was reported to have requested evidence from them of the abuse they received by members of the Church. Some victims showed their discomfort to interviewers and reporters, labeling his request as “offensive and unacceptable.” By the end of his trip, he realized the harmful nature of his words and invited the Chilean victims to the Vatican this past April, as a form of apology.

Francis has reportedly established a committee to fight sexual abuse and help victims.  Still, some believe that the Catholic Church should be even more transparent and direct with its followers.

Featured Image via: Flickr/Catholic Church England and Wales