Bishop believes Church’s child sex abuse scandal will not blot World Youth Day

Lisbon’s auxiliary bishop Américo Aguiar, also the member of the Portuguese Catholic Church tasked with coordinating plans for World Youth Day in August, has become the second member of the clergy in recent days to insist that the report highlighting child sex abuse in the Church does not constitute a blot on the event, and is unlikely to reduce participation. Now is the time to read the report, he says, and make “urgent unavoidable decisions so that child sex abuse does not happen again”. World Youth Day, taking place in Lisbon this year, “is something very positive for young Portuguese, not just Catholics, and for young people from all over the world”, he added. The reality however is that the tabloid press particularly has been highlighting aspects of the report since it was released earlier this week.