HOUSTON – For the second time in recent weeks, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo met with Pope Francis.
Before the meeting, the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston responded to additional steps the Pope is taking to address the sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church.
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DiNardo, who is also President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement that read:
"On behalf of my brother bishops in the United States, I welcome the statement of October 6 from the Holy See which outlines additional steps Pope Francis is taking to ensure the faithful are protected from the evil of sexual assault. The Holy Father's 'pressing invitation to unite forces to fight the grave scourge of abuse within the Church and beyond' has been and will continue to be diligently accepted by the bishops of the United States.
"The truth will ensure terrible sins of the past are not repeated. The courage of abuse survivors who first brought the horrific truth of sexual abuse to light must continue to be matched by our courage as pastors to respond in justice. Pope Francis echoes the call of Christ to be with survivors in their time of need. Let us respond simply. 'Yes, Lord!'
"The bishops of the United States offer our prayers and solidarity for the Holy Father. We urge all in the Church, particularly the bishops, to reaffirm our communion with Pope Francis who is the visible guarantor of the communion of the Catholic church. We unite in prayer and service with His Holiness as he leads the Church to meet our brothers and sisters in their suffering. With a pastor's heart, the Holy Father calls us to a path of healing."
As we reported last month, DiNardo met with the Pope as he and other bishops talked about tackling sex abuse within the church.