In the audience that the Pope granted to the Portuguese bishops who today ended an "ad limina" visit to the Vatican, José Ornelas, according to the Ecclesia agency, thanked the pontiff and the Holy See for their contribution to this chapter.

In February 2023, the CEP received a report from the Independent Commission for the Study of Child Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Portugal, which validated 512 testimonies, out of a total of 564 received, relating to cases that occurred between 1950 and 2022.

After the end of the work of this commission, the episcopate created the VITA Group, to follow up on situations of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults.

Speaking at the end of the audience with the head of the Catholic Church, the president of the CEP stated that "the Pope is transforming the Church and that was the experience of this visit" which began on Monday, with meetings in the multiple Vatican dicasteries.

As for today's meeting with Francis, it took place in a climate of direct dialogue between Francis and the bishops, without formal speeches.

It followed the "Synod model", in which there was no longer "simply an official speech, more or less programmed, but rather a meeting and an exchange of impressions and also of perspectives. It was very interesting, I think we will not forget it", said José Ornelas.

The prelate added that there was also an approach to the "mission of the Church", in the face of the challenges of society.

Young people, the elderly and migrants were also present in the dialogue between the Portuguese bishops and the Pope, who, according to José Ornelas, expressed concerns about "an aging society and a society that has no children and needs immigrants".

"Immigrants must be welcomed, they must be integrated, they must be cared for, because they come weakened and therefore must be the object of special attention from society and in particular from the Church", he added.

The Portuguese bishops today ended their "ad limina" visit after celebrating a mass at the tomb of the apostle Peter.

From Thursday afternoon comes the information that Portugal has 32 canonization processes underway at the Holy See.

After a meeting at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, José Cordeiro, president of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality said, also quoted by the Ecclesia agency, that some causes may be "soon" completed, both in beatification and canonization, namely the processes of Blessed Joana Princesa, Sister Lúcia and Father Cruz.

"Some of these causes have already been canonized by the people, but this validation by the Holy See, by the Pope, is still needed to incorporate them into the album of saints", he added.

The archbishop of Braga also alluded to the need for the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) to create "a service that deals exclusively with the causes of the saints", so that "more causes of lay faithful, men and women, who are not founders of institutes of Consecrated Life, of congregations, bishops or priests" may appear.

"If one is not the founder of an institute of Consecrated Life or a bishop, it is more difficult for a diocese to propose such a process. Therefore, it is up to us, the bishops, to promote this example of lay faithful in politics, in the family, in the economy, in many other realities", he added.

The "ad Limina Apostolorum" visit is made every five years and, in addition to meetings of the prelates with the different dicasteries of the Holy See, they also meet with the Pope, with the Code of Canon Law establishing that "the Diocesan Bishop has the obligation to present to the Supreme Pontiff, every five years, a report on the situation of the diocese entrusted to him".

The group of the visit that ended today was made up of 29 members of the CEP: 20 diocesan bishops, five auxiliary bishops, one bishop-elect (Beja), two bishops emeritus (Cardinals António Marto and Manuel Clemente) and one priest (secretary and spokesman for the CEP).

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