Pope Francis wrapped up a troubled visit to Belgium by demanding that sexually abusive clergy be judged and their bishops stop covering up their crimes.
Speaking to a crowd of 30,000 at King Baudouin stadium in Brussells today, the Pope said: Evil must not be hidden. Evil must be brought out into the open.
Francis deviated from his prepared speech in order to respond to a meeting he held with 17 abuse survivors on Friday night where he heard first-hand their suffering and trauma they endured — and the tone-deaf response of the church when they reported the crimes.
Belgium has had a wretched legacy of abuse and cover-up, none more symbolic of the churchs hypocrisy than the case of Bruges Bishop Roger Vangheluwe.
He was allowed to quietly retire in 2010 after he admitted that he had sexually abused his nephew for 13 years.
Francis only defrocked him this year — 14 years later — in a move clearly seen as finally dealing with a problem before his arrival in Belgium.
The Pope has struggled to escape criticism during his three-day visit, given the countrys history of clerical sexual abuse — and due to comments made about women during a visit to one of Belgium’s Catholic universities.
Pope Francis greets the public during mass at King Baudouin Stadium today
People stand in the stadium to welcome Pope Francis today as he holds a Holy Mass
Pope Francis leads mass at King Baudouin Stadium today
Pope Francis is driven into the stadium as he waves at people gathered in the stands (pictured)
People cheer as they welcome Pope Francis for a Holy Mass at King Baudouin Stadium
In a remarkable dressing-down, Belgiums king demanded the church work incessantly to clean up the abuse scandal, while the prime minister insisted victims needs be placed first.
In the church there is room for everyone, everyone, but everyone will be judged and there is no place for abuse. There is no place for the covering up of abuse, Francis said in his homily.
I ask the bishops not to cover up abuse. Condemn the abusers and help them to recover from this disease of abuse.
It comes after the Pope was sharply criticised by one of Belgiums catholic universities over his stance on womens role in society, after he claimed it is bad when the woman wants to be the man while speaking at the college.
Staff and students at UCLouvain, where the 87-year-old made a speech yesterday afternoon, distributed a statement afterwards in which they expressed their incomprehension and disapproval at his views.
UCLouvain … deplores the conservative positions expressed by Pope Francis on the role of women in society, said the statement.
He had been at the educational institute, which has around 38,000 students studying across 20 faculties, to celebrate its upcoming 600th anniversary.
His speech largely called for global action on climate change, but he also responded to a letter to him from students and professors that had asked about the Catholic Churchs teaching on women.
Pope Francis shakes hands with outgoing Belgian Minister of Interior Annelies Verlinden before a farewell ceremony at Melsbroek air base today
Pope Francis talks with outgoing Belgian Minister of Interior Annelies Verlinden during a farewell ceremony at Melsbroek air base today
Pope Francis has been slammed over his stance on womens role in society, after he claimed it is bad when the woman wants to be the man
Students at a Belgium catholic university, where the 87-year-old made a speech yesterday afternoon, distributed a statement afterwards in which they expressed their incomprehension and disapproval at his views
He had been at the educational institute, which has around 38,000 students studying across 20 faculties, to celebrate its upcoming 600th anniversary
UCLouvain … deplores the conservative positions expressed by Pope Francis on the role of women in society, said the statement
The Pope said: We must remember that women are at the very heart of salvation history. It is thanks to the yes of Mary that God himself came into the world.
The woman is a fertile welcome, care, vital dedication. That is why the woman is more important than the man. But it is bad when the woman wants to be the man.
No, it is the woman. And this is heavy, it is important. Let us open our eyes to the many daily examples of love, friendship, work, study, social and ecclesial responsibility, from marriage to motherhood, to virginity for the Kingdom of God and for service.
In response the catholic university of Louvain rector said: We cannot agree on this position for sure. We are fighting against discrimination for women, and we would like women to have another role in the society and in the church also.
We are happy that he agrees on other points of our brief, but, regarding the place of the woman in the society, we cannot agree with his position.
Its very conservative, and its not the way we want to do in Louvain. We want to be open that everybody can develop in our university; women, men, whatever their sexuality or their sexual orientation.
Its really not our position. So we we are we are not agreeing with him on this point.
Pope Francis greets the public as he meets with students and members of the Catholic University of Louvain within the his 3-day visit in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Pope Francis attends a private meeting with Jesuit brothers during a visit at the Collage Saint-Michel, a Jesuit school on September 28, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium
In response the catholic university of Louvains rector said: We cannot agree on this position for sure. We are fighting against discrimination for women, and we would like women to have another role in the society and in the church also
Pope Francis kisses a child during the Hope Happening youth festival at the Brussels Expo, Belgium yesterday
The Catholic Church has an all-male clergy and although Pope Francis created two commissions to consider whether women could serve as deacons, but this issue has still not yet moved forward.
However, during his 11 years as pontiff, Francis has also changed the Vaticans primary governing document to allow women to lead departments, and has also allowed women to vote at major global meetings of bishops, known as synods, for the first time.
Victoria Coppin, a 21-year-old civil engineering student said: I am quite disappointed and deeply shocked by the statements of the Pope on the place of women.
We can see that he is separating the roles of women and men in society by reducing women to their roles of motherhood, being wives and fertile welcome.
For me, thats extremely problematic right now, especially when we here that just a couple of hours ago, he deemed the position on abortions as a deadly position.
When we hear him talk about dignity, the dignity that is in the flesh, in his speech, for me, this (comments on women) is a direct attack on the dignity of women to have this discourse on abortions because their bodies are directly being seen as instruments, and thats quite shocking to me.