Headline

Pope Expresses ‘Shame’ At Scale Of Clergy Abuse In France

Published

4 years ago

October 6, 2021

Pope Francis expressed “shame” for himself and the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday for the scale of child sexual abuse within the church in France and acknowledged failures in putting the needs of victims first.

The pope spoke during his regular audience at the Vatican about a report released Tuesday that estimated some 330,000 French children were abused by clergy and other church authority figures dating back to 1950.

“There is, unfortunately, a considerable number. I would like to express to the victims my sadness and pain for the trauma that they suffered,” Francis said. “It is also my shame, our shame, my shame, for the incapacity of the church for too long to put them at the center of its concerns.”

He called on all bishops and religious superiors to take all actions necessary “so similar dramas are not repeated.”

The pope also expressed his “closeness and paternal support” to French priests in the face of a “difficult test,” and called on French Catholics to “ensure that the church remains a safe house for all.”

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday sent his “thoughts” to the victims. “Behind the figures and terrible situations that are described, there are broken lives,” he said, speaking on the sidelines of a European meeting in Slovenia.

“There is a need for truth and compensation,” Macron said, adding work remains to be done to apply changes the report recommended and better protect children.

The report said an estimated 3,000 priests and an unknown number of other people associated with the Catholic Church sexually abused children, providing France’s first accounting of the global phenomenon. The French church, like in other countries, has had to face up to shameful secrets that were long covered up.

The president of the independent commission that issued the findings, Jean-Marc Sauvé , underlined Tuesday that Catholic authorities had covered up the abuse spanning 70 years in a “systematic manner.”

Victims welcomed the 2,500-page document as long overdue, and the head of the French Catholic bishops’ conference asked for their forgiveness.

The report said the tally of 330,000 victims includes an estimated 216,000 people abused by priests and other clerics, and the rest by church figures such as Scout leaders and camp counselors. The estimates were based on a broader research by France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research into sexual abuse of children in the country.

The commission urged the church to take strong action, denouncing its “faults” and “silence.” It also called on the Catholic Church to help compensate the victims, particularly in cases that are too old to prosecute in French courts.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Tuesday that Pope Francis learned about the report’s findings “with sorrow.”

“His thoughts go in first place to the victims, with a profound sadness for their wounds and gratitude for their courage to speak out,” Bruni said.

Francis issued a groundbreaking church law in May 2019 that requires all Catholic priests and nuns to report clergy sex abuse and cover-ups involving their superiors to church authorities. He said in June that every bishop must take responsibility for the “catastrophe” of the sex abuse crisis.

Headline

How Our Airstrikes Stopped Christmas Attacks In Nigeria — US Lawmaker

Published

24 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Editor

Riley Moore, a member of the United States House of Representatives from West Virginia’s 2nd District, has linked the absence of Christmas attacks in Nigeria this year to US military airstrikes carried out against Islamist militants on Christmas Day.

In a post on his official X account on Saturday, Moore contrasted the situation with the past two Christmas seasons, during which he claimed Christians were killed in attacks across parts of Nigeria.

The lawmaker noted that this year’s response targeted extremist groups instead of marking another period of violence.

He added that US forces acted decisively against militants in coordination with the Nigerian government.

“For the past two Christmases, Christians have been murdered in Nigeria. This year, thanks to @POTUS, Radical Islamic Terrorists were on the receiving end of 12 Tomahawk missiles as a present.

“The successful strikes on ISIS, in coordination with the Nigerian government, are just the first step to secure the country and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” Moore wrote.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that American forces had conducted deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in north-western Nigeria.

Trump, who spoke via his Truth Social platform, warned that more attacks would follow if the militants continued killing Christians, adding that the Department of War executed numerous “perfect strikes.”

Headline

U.S. Lawmaker Reacts To Nigeria, U.S. Airstrikes

Published

2 days ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has stated that President Donald Trump is determined to put an end to the killing of Christians in Nigeria, warning that further action may follow if the violence persists.

Moore made the statement on Friday via his official X handle.

According to the lawmaker, the strike represents the first step in addressing what he described as the ongoing slaughter of Christians and the broader security crisis affecting Nigerians across religious and ethnic lines.

“President Trump has been clear that the killing of Christians in Nigeria must end,” he said.

He that the administration’s resolve on the matter should not be underestimated.

“As I stated at the outset: Do not test President Trump‘s resolved in this matter.

“Tonight’s strike in coordination with the Nigerian government is just the first step to ending the slaughter of Christians and the security crisis affecting all Nigerians,” he said.

He stressed that the operation signals a stronger stance by the United States in support of Nigeria’s efforts to tackle terrorism and violent extremism, noting that further measures could be taken if the situation does not improve.

Headline

US Dept Of War Shares Video Of Air Strikes In Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

A video footage of the US military air strikes in Nigeria has emerged.

The video was released by the US Department of War following its air strikes against terrorists in Sokoto.

Earlier, the US secretary of War, Pete Hegseth had confirmed that military air strikes hit terrorists in Nigerians, saying it was deadly.

Later on, the US. African Command, confirmed that it conducted the attacks described as very deadly by President Donald Trump.

Trump said he was only keeping the promise he made earlier last month to strike the terrorists he believes are killing innocent Christians.

Although described as powerful and deadly, the casualty caused by the attack is yet to be released.

Explaining further, security expert, Brant Philip, said the strikes may have been launched “from the USS Paul Ignatius, using a Tomahawk missile.”

The Nigerian government through its ministry of foreign affairs has also confirmed that the strikes were successful.

Watch video here