With this official announcement, Pope Francis hopes to provide a response to demands by groups for victims of paedophile priests: that bishops who protected paedophile priests or who squashed reports of sexual abuse be judged by the Holy See.
The pope and the Council of Cardinals (C9) approved a report prepared by the Pontifical Commission for the protection of minors.
This document contains several proposals:
- Creation of a new judicial section, within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This judicial section will examine cases of bishops suspected of abusing their office by failing to report cases of suspected or confirmed sexual abuse committed by priests.
- Transmit cases of sexual abuse of children of vulnerable adults to the proper legal authorities, so that this information may be circulated.
- Appoint competent persons to set up and run this tribunal. A secretary will be appointed by the Pope to head this judicial structure.
On 10 June, the Council of Cardinals unanimously approved the recommendations in the report by the Pontifical Commission for the protection of minors.
The Pope authorized the necessary funding for these measures. A period of five years was given to evaluate the efficiency of this new judicial section.
BICE applauds the Pope’s determination to prevent sexual abuse and to judge those responsible or their accomplices.
