LPope Francis met with ecclesiastical leaders of the Catholic Church in Belgium on Saturday morning, shortly after 10:00 a.m. Six people addressed the sovereign pontiff who responded to them.
It was through the royal door, 9 meters high, that Pope Francis entered the Koekelberg basilica. A door that only opens on very rare occasions, in this case, the visit of the head of the Catholic Church.
A total of 3,250 people filled the rows of chairs in the basilica to attend the visit of the sovereign pontiff, mainly bishops, priests, deacons, and pastoral leaders. Among these people, six of them took the floor to address the Pope: a priest, a pastoral agent, a theologian, a religious, a prison chaplain and a person responsible for the fight against sexual abuse in the Church.
Mia De Schamphelaere, socially engaged and active as a member of the Flemish and federal Parliament in the past, spoke about sexual violence committed within the Church. “Like many citizens, we felt horror, sadness and helplessness. We were also shocked and ashamed as believers. We had the opportunity to transform anger and sadness into concrete help. In collaboration with other competent and experienced volunteers, we take care of the victims. We provide a safe space for them to talk about the suffering they have experienced. »
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A testimony to which the Pope responded. “Thank you for the great work you are doing to transform anger and pain into help, closeness and compassion. Abuse causes excruciating pain and injury; they also undermine the path of faith. And it takes a lot of mercy so as not to remain stone-hearted in the face of the suffering of the victims. »
