POPE TELLS SEX-ABUSE PRIESTS: 'TURN YOURSELVES IN'

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis vowed Friday that the Catholic Church will “never again” cover up clergy sex abuse and demanded that priests who have raped and molested children turn themselves in.

Francis dedicated his annual Christmas speech to the Vatican bureaucracy to abuse, evidence that a year of devastating revelations of sexual misconduct and cover-up has shaken his papacy and caused a crisis of confidence in the Catholic hierarchy.

Francis acknowledged that the church in the past had failed to treat the problem seriously, blaming leaders who out of inexperience or short-sightedness acted “irresponsibly” by refusing to believe victims.

“The greater scandal in this matter is that of cloaking the truth,” he said.

Complete article here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/12/21/pope-sex-abuse-priests/2385333002/

(Published 5:19 a.m. ET Dec. 21, 2018)

Senate vote to proceed to bill for Government Funding through February 8 is currently being held open to allow senators to return to Washington.

At this point vote stands at 43 YES and 45 NO

Live on C-Span2 for those interested.