POPE FRANCIS IS to meet with Irish survivors of clerical abuse next weekend.

It will be the first time since his election that the Pontiff has met with those who have been abused to hear of their experiences.

It will also be the first time that Irish survivors of abuse have met with a Pope.

The Irish Catholic reports that a number of Irish survivors will travel to the Vatican for the meeting which is expected to take place at the Vatican guesthouse – where the Pope lives.

They will be accompanied by survivors of clerical abuse from other parts of the world including Britain, the United States and Poland.

The Vatican says the Pope’s meeting with survivors is “a key opportunity to hear their experiences first-hand and to assure them that the Church is determined to continue to act decisively on the issue”.

Francis has promised to continue a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to abuse.

The meeting will be held in private but survivors will then be able to decide whether or not they want to speak to the media about it.

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