At the beginning of Pope Francis’s papacy his controversial predecessor handed him a large white box stuffed with confidential documents relating to the “most difficult and painful situations” involving the Vatican, including cases of child sexual abuse and financial corruption.
“I have arrived this far, taken these actions, removed these people, now it’s your turn,” said Benedict XVI, according to “Hope: The Autobiography,” by Pope Francis, out Tuesday.
“I have continued along his path,” writes Francis.
“From the very start of my papacy [in 2013], I felt I was being called to take responsibility for all the evil committed by certain priests, who were many in number,” he continued.
“With shame and repentance, the Church must seek pardon for the terrible damage that those clergy have caused with their sexual abuse of children.”
Benedict, who faced blistering criticism for his handling of sexual abuse scandals that rocked the Catholic Church, resigned in February, 2013, citing “a lack of strength of mind and body” — an unusual step in the history of the papacy, which had not seen a resignation for centuries. He died in 2022.
Since becoming pope Francis has actively fought corruption, passing laws in 2021 that all bishops and cardinals will be tried if they are suspected of criminal behavior as well as promoting financial transparency, including barring employees of the Vatican from receiving gifts worth more than $45.
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