President Trump Weighs In on Abuse Crisis: "Sad to Watch Because I Respect the Catholic Church So Much"

Calvin Freiburger : Sep 7, 2018
Lifesitenews.com

"The numbers, the length of time, you know, going back 70 years, I think it's having a really negative impact on the Catholic Church." -President Donald Trump

(Washington, DC)—[Lifesitenews.com] President Donald Trump called the allegations of widespread hiding of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church a "devastating" tragedy Wednesday, specifically singling out ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. (Photo: Public Domain/via Wikipedia)

"It's so sad to watch," Trump told the Daily Caller. "The numbers, the length of time, you know, going back 70 years, I think it's having a really negative impact on the Catholic Church."

"To me it's one of the sadder stories because I respect so much the Catholic Church," he continued. "And to me it's a very sad story."

Last month, a Pennsylvania grand jury report identified 301 priests accused of hundreds of cases of sexual abuse, with six different dioceses allegedly hiding their crimes for several decades.

The "sophisticated" cover-up "stretched, in some cases, all the way to the Vatican," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said, with church leaders keeping "secret archives" of abuse "just feet from the bishops' desk." Numerous abusive clergy were not only protected but promoted, the report found.

The president specifically referenced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who is accused of molesting minors, including harassing seminarians and having them sleep in his bed. Father Boniface Ramsey says he attempted to warn church officials about McCarrick for years, while Archbishop Carlo Vigano alleges that Pope Francis himself was warned about McCarrick, but helped cover up the allegations.

"I'm surprised at McCarrick. Everyone knew him and so incredible to see these things," Trump lamented. "It's devastating for the Catholic Church"... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here.

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