ROME, September 11, 2018, (LifeSiteNews) – As controversy continues to swirl around Pope Francis’ silence in the face of serious and far-reaching sexual abuse cover-up allegations, the pontiff said that Satan "tries to uncover" bishops' sins in order to “scandalize” the faithful.

“In these times, it seems like the 'Great Accuser' has been unchained and is attacking bishops,” said Pope Francis in a homily today as reported by Vatican News. “True, we are all sinners, we bishops. He tries to uncover the sins, so they are visible in order to scandalize the people,” he added.

Reaction came quickly to the Pope’s words, with many saying that it sounded like the Pope was suggesting that uncovering the sins of a bishop, such as abuse, was somehow the work of the devil.

“Satan ‘tries to uncover the sins’ of McCarrick, etc. ‘so they are visible in order to scandalize the people,’ says Francis. Bear in mind, this is the exact same reasoning Cardinal Law used to justify protecting pedophile priests” said the Catholic Herald’s U.S. editor, Michael Davis.

Satan "tries to uncover the sins" of McCarrick, etc. "so they are visible in order to scandalize the people," says Francis.



Bear in mind, this is the exact same reasoning Cardinal Law used to justify protecting pedophile priests. https://t.co/VVqcCAjrlA — Michael Davis (@MichaelDavisCH) September 11, 2018

“Wow! This is really weird from” the Pope said another Twitter user. “Is he actually saying that if people criticise bishops and reveal their sins it is the work of the devil? Implication: we all need to shut up. Is that it?

Wow! This is really weird from @Pontifex - Is he actually saying that if people criticise bishops and reveal their sins it is the work of the devil? Implication: we all need to shut up. Is that it??? https://t.co/Zl3LMh9SnH — Mark (@sitsio) September 11, 2018

Catholic author and commentator Patrick Coffin tweeted, “‘The Great Accuser tries to uncover the sins, so they are visible in order to scandalize the people.’ -- words actually spoken by @Pontifex this morning. Logical conclusion: the sins should stay hidden so the devil can't cause scandal. Speechless.”

"The Great Accuser tries to uncover the sins, so they are visible in order to scandalize the people." -- words actually spoken by @Pontifex this morning. Logical conclusion: the sins should stay hidden so the devil can't cause scandal. Speechless. https://t.co/En20ZIgEQN — Patrick Coffin (blue checkmark sits here) (@Patrick_Coffin) September 11, 2018

The Pope’s homily was delivered at a Mass in the chapel of his Vatican residence, Santa Marta, attended by about 140 bishops present in Rome for meetings at the Vatican.

Pope Francis in his homily may have been referring to the abuse scandal which has exploded against members of the hierarchy in the U.S. as well as in the Vatican as one report after another of sexual abuse and cover-up has rocked the Church.

First, there were the stories about decades of sexual abuse of adolescent boys and seminarians by disgraced former Cardinal McCarrick. Then Pennsylvania’s attorney general released a sweeping, 900-page grand jury investigation of 300 clergy accused of sexual abuse. The majority of those cases involved pederasty – the sexual abuse of adolescent males by adult males, most of whom who were priests.

Then former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, released his explosive testimony implicating Pope Francis and several senior prelates in covering up McCarrick’s alleged sexual abuse of seminarians and priests.

In addition to McCarrick, Cardinals Wuerl, Cupich and Tobin have all been tainted by the Viganò testimony, as have Cardinals Sodano, Bertone and Parolin.

The Pope, too, is implicated in the cover-up of McCarrick’s sexual abuse and for having made him a “trusted advisor” after he had been sidelined by his predecessor, Benedict XVI, according to Viganò.

Anger has reached a boiling point among U.S. Catholics, evidenced in letters addressed to the Pope and U.S. Prelates and signed by tens of thousands of concerned women and men.

Nearly ten thousand men have asked Pope Francis and the bishops to “purge the corruption” which is disfiguring the Church.

And the highly influential association of Catholic business leaders, Legatus, has put its annual Vatican tithe of nearly a million dollars “in escrow,” citing the current crisis in the Church. Legatus was founded in 1987 and has 3,000 current members.

Pope Francis has yet to address Viganò's allegations. Last week he preached that “silence, prayer” are the best response to "wild dogs" who "don’t have good will.”

Yesterday, Francis’ special advisory group known as the Council of Cardinals expressed its loyalty to the Holy Father in the wake of the allegations, stating it “expressed its full solidarity with Pope Francis with regard to the events of recent weeks, aware that in the current debate the Holy See is about to make the eventual and necessary clarifications.”

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