ITALY/FILE: Pope Francis appoints former child victim to church group on sex abuse

Record ID: 334795

  • Title: ITALY/FILE: Pope Francis appoints former child victim to church group on sex abuse
  • Date: 22nd March 2014
  • Summary: VATICAN (FILE - MARCH 5, 2014) (REUTERS) CROWDS IN FRONT OF ST. PETER'S SQUARE ST. PETER'S BASILICA SEEN THROUGH COLUMNS CUPOLA ON TOP OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA
  • Embargoed: 6th April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA8EKFON8DOAFCZ5BA4K6RGTL7J
  • Story Text: Pope Francis announced on Saturday (March 23) a core group of four men and four women from eight different countries to help the Catholic Church tackle the problem of clerical pedophilia it has wrestled with for two decades including a victim of sexual abuse by a priest, Marie Collins.
    Marie Collins has campaigned actively for the protection of children and for justice for victims of clerical pedophilia and
    Two years ago during a conference on the sex abuse crisis in Rome, she urged the Church to adopt penalties for bishops who failed to implement rules aimed at finding pedophile priests and protecting children.
    "Every child that is safe from abuse in the future is really a life saved. And as a survivor I don't want to see any child go through the same as I have myself. And I think that is the way most survivors feel," Collins said.
    The formation of a group of experts, which was initially announced in December, 2013, comes about a month after the United Nations accused the Church of putting its reputation before the well-being of children and imposing a "code of silence" among clerics on the issue of sexual abuse.
    These initial members will be responsible for rounding out the "commission for safeguarding minors" with other experts from around the world and defining the scope of the group's action.
    These will include taking criminal action against offenders, providing education about the exploitation of children, developing best practices to better screen priests, and defining the civil and clerical duties within the Church, according to a Vatican statement.
    Another member of the commission is the archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, known as a pioneer for a more open approach to tackling scandal since he published a database of Boston clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors online in 2011.
    Former Polish Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka will also be in the group. She also served as justice minister from 1997-2000 and was Polish ambassador to the Holy See from 2001-13.
    Pope Francis, who has been in office for just over a year, has called sexual abuse of children "the shame of the Church" and has vowed to continue procedures put in place by his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
    He is well-known for his love of children and often singles them out and greets them individually wherever he visits.
    But critics say the Church still has much to do, both to reconcile the past and prevent future abuse.
    The other five members of the commission are: Baroness Sheila Hollins of Britain; Professor Claudio Papale of Italy; Dr. Catherine Bonnet of France; Rev. Humberto Miguel Yanez of Argentina; and Rev. P. Hans Zollner of Germany.
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