Pope's Phone Call To Sex Abuse Victim Leads To Arrest Of 3 Priests In Spain

A surprise telephone call supposedly made by Pope Francis last August appeared to have led to the arrest on Monday of three Spanish Catholic priests and a lay person on charges of child sexual abuse.

According to the Religión Digital website, the Holy Father called up the young man, given the alias "Daniel," after the latter wrote him a long letter revealing how he was sexually abused by a group of priests while he was serving as an altar boy in Granada, Spain.

At first identifying himself as a "Father Jorge," Pope Francis called up Daniel to ask his forgiveness in the name of the Church and to assure him that he will follow up the case to ensure that justice is done.

On Monday, Spain's interior minister announced that police have arrested the three priests and a religion teacher on charges of abusing a minor.

The arrests came a day after Granada Archbishop Francisco Javier Martinez and other clerics took the unusual step of prostrating themselves in front of the altar in the cathedral during Sunday Mass, "asking forgiveness for the sins of Church, for all of the scandals that have, or might have, occurred among us."

"We will cry for a few minutes in silence to God to ask his forgiveness for all the Church's crimes, for all the scandals there have been and for those that may have taken place among us and anywhere in the world," Martinez said.

At least 12 people, 10 of them priests, are reportedly under investigation in this case.

The archbishop had earlier removed an unspecified number of priests from their duties, pending an investigation.

The arrest of the three priests in a single day over sexual abuse allegations is the biggest case of its kind in Spain, said a spokesman in Madrid for the Spanish church leadership, known as the Episcopal Conference.

Since 1997, 10 priests have been convicted of sexual abuse, in individual cases, most recently in 2010, the spokesman said.

Media reports said the investigation of this particular sex abuse case was personally ordered by the Pope.

The Spanish interior minister did not name those arrested due to a secrecy order imposed by a judge.

However, the Spanish newspaper El Pais said all were believed to be members of the ultraconservative group known as Los Romanones.

It was not the first time that the Holy Father has shown his personal concern to victims of sexual abuse by priests. Last year Pope Francis strengthened the Vatican's laws against child abuse. Last July, he begged forgiveness from the victims of sexual abuse by priests, and condemned the Church's "complicity" in hiding the "grave crimes" committed by clerics.

The Pope has called for "zero tolerance" of sexual abuse by clerics and has said Catholic bishops "will be held accountable" for failing to protect children from such abuse.

Phone Call By Pope

Various media sources have published the detailed telephone conversation between the Pope and the now 24-year-old Daniel which allegedly took place last Aug. 10. Here is the published narration of that phone conversation:

Daniel: (After picking up the phone) "Who is it?"

Pope: "Am I speaking with Daniel?"

Daniel: "Yes, it's me. Who's calling?"

Pope: "Good afternoon my son, I am Fr. Jorge."

Daniel: "I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number. I don't know any Fr. Jorge."

Pope: "Well, I'm Pope Francis."

Daniel is speechless, stunned.

Pope: "Are you still there? It's the Pope! My son, calm down. I read your letter several times. I couldn't help being moved, and feeling profound sorrow when I read your story. I want to ask you for forgiveness in the name of the whole Church of Christ. Forgive this grave sin and very serious crime which you have suffered. These wounds make the whole Church suffer."

Tears run down Daniel's face. He remains speechless. He earlier sent a five-page letter of complaint to the office of the Vatican Secretary of State.

Pope: "You have my total support, my son, and the support of the whole Church. I am about to go on a trip to Korea, but there are already people working to resolve all of this. I thank God that you conserve your Faith and continue in the Church. Pray for me, my son, as I will without a doubt pray for you, your family and the rest of the victims of this serious offense committed by priests. I send you my blessing and the complete support of the Church, and a strong hug, my son."