In Belgium, the Pope once again questioned about sexual violence

Friday, throughout the day, the 87-year-old Pope was not sparing on the issue, strongly questioned about these scandals by King Philippe, the Prime Minister and the rector of a university, before meeting for two hours and behind closed doors 17 victims in the evening.

On Saturday morning, he was confronted with the question again during a meeting with hundreds of religious and Catholic faithful at the Koekelberg basilica in Brussels, one of the largest churches in the world.

“How can the Church see, recognize and learn from the wounds of survivors? How can we build a church culture in which everyone, young and old, man and woman, feels safe and protected?” asked Mia De Schamphelaere , representative of reception centers for victims of sexual violence in Flanders.

The pope responded by emphasizing the importance of listening to “the suffering of the victims.” We must “make them feel our closeness and offer all possible help, to learn from them to be a Church which serves all without dominating anyone,” he said.

“One of the roots of violence is the abuse of power, when we use the roles we have to crush others or to manipulate them,” Francis stressed.

This exchange did not alter the joyful atmosphere of the meeting, at the end of which the Pope indulged in a walkabout by going up the central aisle of the basilica in a wheelchair, blessing the faithful and lending to the game of selfies and handshakes.

Earlier in the morning, the Argentine Jesuit had gone to another church in the city to privately share breakfast with homeless people and migrants.

Saturday afternoon, he will go to the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve for the 600th anniversary of its foundation and will interact on campus with students.

This 46th international trip of the pope since his election in 2013 will end on Sunday with a high mass at the King Baudoin stadium, where 35,000 faithful are expected.