On Friday, Pope Francis urged all predator priests who have committed sexual abuse on minors to turn themselves in, a strong statement from the pontiff throughout the crisis that has affected the Roman Catholic Church's history.
While many are uncertain if the Pope meant that priests should surrender to the Church judicial system, civil justice or both, sources say that this is the first vocal and direct message from the pope regarding the issue.
In his Christmas address to the Curia released by the Vatican, the pope said, "To those who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice."
This message comes two months before the major summit on the sexual abuse crisis scheduled at the Vatican, to be attended by 110 national Catholic bishops' conferences, religious experts and leaders of religious orders.
"Let it be clear that, faced with these abominations, the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whoever has committed such crimes. The Church will never seek to hush up or not take seriously any case," the pope adds.
The Pope also added in his address that the Church has made serious errors in handling the issue in the past. Earlier in the year, he was the first to defend a Chilean bishop accused of covering up abuse, but later launched an inquiry and accepted the resignation of bishops and prelates there.
"It is undeniable that some in the past, out of irresponsibility, disbelief, lack of training, inexperience, or spiritual and human short-sightedness, treated many cases without the seriousness and promptness that was due."
"That must never happen again. This is the choice and the decision of the whole church."
