ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has told members of three religious orders that they must have "zero tolerance" for sexual abusers in their ranks and that they must report them to protect others.
Francis pleaded with them Thursday not to cover up the "reality" of clergy sexual abuse by transferring rapists to other countries.
Francis in 2019 passed a new church law requiring priests and nuns to report abuse to church authorities, though not to police.
It was his latest effort to address a problem that has afflicted the church for decades and undermined its credibility.
