In an interview that is so out of touch with the feelings of the nation that it truly cannot merit much space, the Bishop of Beja, D. João Marques has defended that the way the country is viewing the scandal of child sex abuse in the Church is “not very catholic”. The values of charity and pardon have been overlooked, he believes, suggesting priests suspected of having abused children and teens “if they are repentant, should be pardoned”. The bishop’s interview follows the unedifying press conference held following the Episcopal Conference which had intimated it would come up with concrete measures of dealing with the rot within the institution (but then didn’t).
Bishop calls for forgiveness for pedophile priests
Bishop of Beja tells interviewers "we are all sinners" ... suggesting the current hierarchy of the Portuguese Catholic Church truly does not see that the sexual abuse of children, by a priest, is a heinous betrayal of religious vows
