Victims march to Rome to demand 'zero tolerance' on church abuse

Peter Isely, survivor of sexual abuse, and founder of ECA (Ending Clergy Abuse) Tim Law attend a march with survivors of clergy sexual abuse and activists near the Vatican, in Rome, Italy, September 27, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A group of Catholic Church abuse victims and their advocates on Wednesday called on Pope Francis to enforce "zero tolerance" against clerical sex abuse, after completing a six-day pilgrimage to Rome carrying a large wooden cross.

The 10 men and women walked 130 kilometres (81 miles) along the last stretch of the Via Francigena, a medieval trail that connects Canterbury, England, to Rome, ahead of a major Vatican summit on the future of the Church, starting next week.