Abuse victims divided on pope's offer to meet

Pope Francis’s recent announcement that he would meet with victims of sexual abuse by priests is dividing victim advocates, with some dismissing the move as “meaningless” and others endorsing it as a positive step, albeit taken belatedly and under pressure.

“A welcome and overdue change,” commented Anne Barrett Doyle of BishopAccountability.org, who has been pushing the Catholic Church to overhaul its policies and practices regarding abusive clergy.

“Good to hear Pope Francis speak out and meet survivors,” tweeted Marie Collins, an abuse victim whom Francis named to a Vatican commission to promote reforms, on hearing that the pope compared abuse by clergy to a priest celebrating a black mass.