- Title: Vatican Commission to discuss resignation of abuse survivor
- Date: 2nd March 2017
- Summary: VATICAN CITY (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) VISITORS IN FRONT OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA VISITORS WALKING IN STREET AT VATICAN DOME OF ST. PETER'S VISITORS IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE YOUNG PEOPLE WALKING IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE FAMILY IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE ROME, ITALY (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) GREGORIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY FACADE PONTIFICAL WRITTEN ON UNIVERSITY PRIESTS ARRIVING AT UNI
- Embargoed: 16th March 2017 15:37
- Keywords: Pope Francis Marie Collins abuse Commission minors catholic church
- Location: ROME, ITALY AND VATICAN CITY
- City: ROME, ITALY AND VATICAN CITY
- Country: Various
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001669PZD3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said they would have to evaluate their future mandate on Thursday (March 2) after a leading member of a group advising Pope Francis on how to root out sex abuse in the Catholic Church quit in frustration on Wednesday (March 1), citing "shameful" resistance within the Vatican.
The sudden departure of Marie Collins, an outspoken Irish woman who was the last remaining survivor of priestly abuse on the Holy See commission, was a major setback for the Pope, who has faced criticism of not doing enough to tackle the problem.
The work of the Commission, set up by Francis in March 2014, has been slowed down by internal disputes and Collins blamed the Vatican's administration, known as the Curia, for the "constant setbacks".
Commission member Father Hans Zollner said he was shocked and sad about the resignation but that it might be a 'blessing in disguise' and that there would be discussions on how to move forward.
"I do not know what will happen, we will have the next plenary session of the commission exactly in four week's time. So we have already scheduled before Marie stepped down from the Commission that we would talk about the future mandate," said Father Zollner.
The priest also spoke about the huge pressure put on abuse survivors who were involved with the Commission.
"I believe certainly it will bring us to the point to discuss how much survivors should be on the Commission or should advise the Commission because it seems that being on the Commission puts a huge pressure on survivors of abuse because they feel obviously caught in between their roles as representatives of survivors and representatives to the Holy See, to the Pope," said Father Zollner.
The Vatican said the pope had accepted her resignation "with deep appreciation for her work on behalf of the victims/survivors of clergy abuse".
Victim support groups have repeatedly attacked the Vatican for its response to the crisis since it first emerged in the United States in 2002, saying successive popes have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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