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Pope Setting Up Commission on Clerical Child Abuse Pope Setting Up Commission on Clerical Child Abuse
(about 2 hours later)
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will set up a commission to advise him on protecting children from sexually abusive priests and on how the church should counsel victims, the Vatican said on Thursday. The step was his first to address one of the most sensitive issues facing his papacy. VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will establish a commission to advise him on protecting children from sexually abusive priests and on how the church should counsel victims, the Vatican said on Thursday. The announcement signaled the pope’s first concrete step to address one of the most sensitive issues facing his papacy.
The timing of the announcement, two days after a United Nations panel criticized the Vatican over its handling of abuse cases, suggested that the pope and his closest advisers want to be seen to be tackling the issue with greater firmness than in the past.The timing of the announcement, two days after a United Nations panel criticized the Vatican over its handling of abuse cases, suggested that the pope and his closest advisers want to be seen to be tackling the issue with greater firmness than in the past.
The announcement was a forthright acknowledgment by the Vatican of the enduring problem of abusive priests, and it fit with Pope Francis’s pattern of willingness to set a new tone in dealing with religious and secular critics of the church. The announcement was a forthright acknowledgment by the Vatican of the enduring problem of abusive priests, and it fit with Pope Francis’s pattern of willingness to set a new tone in the governance of the church. But the announcement also elicited a mixed reaction, reflecting some skepticism, particularly among victims and their advocates, over whether the creation of a new commission would address the problems.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a leading group representing the Christian clerical hierarchy in the United States, called the pope’s move “a most welcome initiative.” In a statement, the group said: “Abuse of minors is a sin and a crime, and every step must be taken to eradicate this blight. Such abuse is especially grave when committed by anyone in ministry in our church.”
At the same time, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the leading United States-based support group for clergy abuse victims known by its acronym, SNAP, called the news a disappointment that reflected badly on the new pope. David Clohessy, executive director of the group, said the announcement suggested that the Vatican remained strongly resistant to making sexually abusive members of the clergy and their church protectors accountable to external criminal prosecution.
“A new church panel is the last thing that kids need,” Mr. Clohessy said in a telephone interview from St. Louis. “Church officials have mountains of information about those who have committed and those who are concealing horrible child sex crimes and cover-ups. They just have to give that information to the police.”
The suggestion to set up the commission came from the group of eight cardinals brought together by the pope a month after his election in March to advise him on reforming the Vatican’s labyrinthine bureaucracy.The suggestion to set up the commission came from the group of eight cardinals brought together by the pope a month after his election in March to advise him on reforming the Vatican’s labyrinthine bureaucracy.
Precisely who will serve on the advisory commission and what authority it will have remained unclear. But Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, the only American among the eight cardinals advising the pope, said on Thursday that it would include priests, men and women from religious orders and lay people with expertise in safeguarding children, and that it would offer advice on pastoral care rather than judicial functions. That seemed to signal that it would not make proposals for exposing or punishing abusive clerics. Precisely who will serve on the advisory commission and what authority it will have remained unclear. But Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, the only American among the eight cardinals advising the pope, said on Thursday that it would include priests, men and women from religious orders and laypeople with expertise in safeguarding children, and that it would offer advice on pastoral care rather than judicial functions. That seemed to signal that it would not make proposals for exposing or punishing abusive clerics.
“Up to now, there’s been so much focus on the judicial parts of this, but the pastoral response of the church is very, very important, and the Holy Father is concerned about that,” Cardinal O’Malley told a news conference at the Vatican. “And so we feel as though having the advantage of a commission of experts that would be able to study some of these issues and bring concrete recommendations for the Holy Father and the Holy See will be very important.” The commission will have a broad mandate including the development of “norms, procedures and strategies for the protection of children and the prevention of abuse of minors,” the Vatican said in a statement.
It could also develop guidelines for cooperating with civil authorities, reporting of crimes and compliance with civil law, the Vatican said. Procedures for “screening and checking of previous offenses” and “the state of action of requests for psychiatric evaluation” could also be examined.
“Up to now, there’s been so much focus on the judicial parts of this, but the pastoral response of the church is very, very important, and the Holy Father is concerned about that,” Cardinal O’Malley said at a news conference at the Vatican. “And so we feel as though having the advantage of a commission of experts that would be able to study some of these issues and bring concrete recommendations for the Holy Father and the Holy See will be very important.”
The cardinal’s diocese in Boston was the epicenter of the sexual abuse scandal in the United States a decade ago.The cardinal’s diocese in Boston was the epicenter of the sexual abuse scandal in the United States a decade ago.
Earlier this week, the Vatican sidestepped a request from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Children for information about its handling of abuse cases, saying that the responsibility for such cases rested with individual bishops.Earlier this week, the Vatican sidestepped a request from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Children for information about its handling of abuse cases, saying that the responsibility for such cases rested with individual bishops.
Sexual abuse of children has haunted the Vatican in recent years, particularly during the eight-year papacy of Benedict XVI, Francis’s predecessor, who often seemed overwhelmed by scandals involving cover-ups of pedophilia and other forms of sexual abuse that undermined the church’s moral authority and stature.Sexual abuse of children has haunted the Vatican in recent years, particularly during the eight-year papacy of Benedict XVI, Francis’s predecessor, who often seemed overwhelmed by scandals involving cover-ups of pedophilia and other forms of sexual abuse that undermined the church’s moral authority and stature.
In June 2010, Benedict addressed the abuse issue in public, telling priests in St. Peter’s Square, “We, too, insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again.” In 2012 he approved a symposium to discuss ways of preventing the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy. In June 2010, Benedict addressed the abuse issue in public, telling priests in St. Peter’s Square, “We, too, insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again.” In 2012, he approved a symposium to discuss ways of preventing the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy.
An aloof theologian, Benedict resigned in February, the first pope to relinquish the Catholic Church’s highest office voluntarily in nearly 600 years. Francis has sought to project a more down-to-earth image, blending personal humility with a readiness to embrace new thinking. An aloof theologian, Benedict resigned in February, the first pope to relinquish the Roman Catholic Church’s highest office voluntarily in nearly 600 years. Francis has sought to project a more down-to-earth image, blending personal humility with a readiness to embrace new thinking.
Even as Cardinal O’Malley announced the commission, parts of the church were bracing for new disclosures. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told its priests that a new report on Thursday would illuminate the prevalence of abuse in its parishes.Even as Cardinal O’Malley announced the commission, parts of the church were bracing for new disclosures. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told its priests that a new report on Thursday would illuminate the prevalence of abuse in its parishes.
Cardinal O’Malley said the new advisory commission would study existing measures and proposals for “new initiatives” to safeguard children, as well as guidelines for the personal conduct of priests and the creation of safe environments to limit the likelihood of abuse.Cardinal O’Malley said the new advisory commission would study existing measures and proposals for “new initiatives” to safeguard children, as well as guidelines for the personal conduct of priests and the creation of safe environments to limit the likelihood of abuse.
Cardinal O’Malley said the group of eight cardinals proposed the idea on Wednesday and Francis approved it on Thursday. Cardinal O’Malley said that the group of eight cardinals proposed the idea on Wednesday and that Francis approved it on Thursday.
Under Benedict, the Vatican asked the bishops of every country to produce a policy on handling abuse cases, and to submit the policies to the Vatican for approval. But not all of them did so; bishops in some parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America said they had little experience or expertise on the issue. By contrast, the church has been calling bishops and officials from English-speaking countries to meetings in Rome for decades to discuss the abuse problem and share their best practices.Under Benedict, the Vatican asked the bishops of every country to produce a policy on handling abuse cases, and to submit the policies to the Vatican for approval. But not all of them did so; bishops in some parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America said they had little experience or expertise on the issue. By contrast, the church has been calling bishops and officials from English-speaking countries to meetings in Rome for decades to discuss the abuse problem and share their best practices.
The new emphasis on pastoral care for abuse victims may present challenges for the Vatican in the United Sates, where many victims of abuse by priests say they want nothing more to do with the church, and would not feel comfortable receiving counsel or spiritual care from a professional affiliated with the church. Even so, some American dioceses have invested resources in providing pastoral care, and some victims have said they found solace in it. The new emphasis on pastoral care for abuse victims may present challenges for the Vatican in the United States, where many victims of abuse by priests say they want nothing more to do with the church, and would not feel comfortable receiving counsel or spiritual care from a professional affiliated with the church. Even so, some American dioceses have invested resources in providing pastoral care, and some victims have said they found solace in it.

Elisabetta Povoledo reported from Vatican City, and Alan Cowell from London. Laurie Goodstein contributed reporting from Salt Lake City.

Elisabetta Povoledo reported from Vatican City, and Alan Cowell from London. Laurie Goodstein contributed reporting from Salt Lake City, and Rick Gladstone from New York.