Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for mercy for priests found guilty of sexually abusing children.
The Pope intervened on the issue with a message.to an assembly of French bishops focusing on abuse and the Traditional Mass, saying the two topics are causing internal wounds within the Church.
Regarding abuse, Leo urged "the Church's attention to the victims and God's mercy toward all.
It is good that priests guilty of abuse are not excluded from this mercy." Regarding the question of the Traditional Mass, Leo did not hide his concern that "a painful wound continues to open in the Church regarding the celebration of the Mass, the very sacrament of unity," reports Vatican News.
