NEW YORK — The fallout of the grand jury report on the Catholic child sex abuse continues with calls on Pope Francis to resign.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday to talk about the report.
Shapiro said that not only was there widespread abuse but there was also a coverup and the Vatican was aware.
“There was not only widespread sexual abuse, rape of children, but they found that there was a systematic cover up that went all the way to the Vatican.” @JoshShapiroPA on Pennsylvania grand jury’s findings on Catholic Church archives pic.twitter.com/nNOAVekpfk
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 28, 2018
In the two weeks since Shapiro released the bombshell report, he said the special clergy abuse hotline has received 733 phone calls.
Each case will be investigated, and if possible anyone who abused or covered up the abuse will be prosecuted, Shapiro said.
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“In the roughly 2 weeks since we released the report, we’ve received 733 calls to our special clergy abuse hotline…If we can bring a case…against any predator priest or anyone who covered it up, we will do so. ” -@JoshShapiroPA pic.twitter.com/TsUXP5nPjy
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 28, 2018
Shapiro said even though he couldn’t speak specifically about Pope Francis, but did say there is evidence that the Vatican had knowledge of a Catholic child sex abuse coverup.
“Do you have evidence that the pope had knowledge or participated in a cover up with regards to the Pennsylvania diocese?” @craigmelvin asks @JoshShapiroPA pic.twitter.com/lqy3X0TID0
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 28, 2018
Shapiro said church leaders would lie to parishioners and the public even though they were fully aware there was abuse going on within the church. Church leaders would shield predator priests from law enforcement, but then would document the abuse and set it aside, Shapiro said.
“Child rape in 1970 is the same as child rape in 2018. It is never acceptable, and it is never OK to cover it up.”
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 28, 2018
Watch @savannahguthrie & @craigmelvin’s full interview w/ @JoshShapiroPA about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal pic.twitter.com/6NnySehYEK
Shapiro added that child rape is never acceptable no matter when it happened and it’s never acceptable to cover it up.
Cox Media Group