Pope Francis
has described clerical sex abuse as “diabolic sacrifice” in the preface
of a new book. I Forgive You, Father, by former Swiss priest Daniel
Pittet, who was himself the victim of clerical sex abuse as an
eight-year-old altar boy, has been published as as suggestions emerge
that the Vatican may soon be dealing with a raft of abuse cases.
La Repubblica, a daily Roman
newspaper, carried the full preface in a front page article on Monday,
in which it explained the background to Mr Pittet’s story. During an
audience with the pope two years ago, Mr Pittet told Francis the story
of his four-year-long abuse. The pope, claims Mr Pittet, not only
listened to his story in tears but also encouraged the 57-year-old
former priest to tell the story more widely.