Catholic clergy in #Portugal have abused nearly 5,000 children since 1950, an independent commission said on Monday after hearing hundreds of victims' accounts.

📑 Thousands of reports of #paedophilia within the #CatholicChurch have surfaced around the world and #PopeFrancis is under pressure to tackle the scandal.

✝ The Portuguese inquiry, commissioned by the #Church in the staunchly #Catholic country, published its findings after hearing from more than 500 victims last year.

🗨️ "The report published today expresses a hard and tragic reality. We however believe that change is under way," said the head of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, Bishop Jose Ornelas.
#Religion #CrimeSyndicate