Pope Francis approved new measures that would allow the Catholic church to remove bishops who fail to fire or otherwise handle priests involved in sexual abuse cases.
Advertisement
Pope Francis said on Saturday that a bishop could be sacked for mismanaging child abuse cases, adding that Vatican laws on this issue will be stricter.
The move was announced just two weeks after the pope came under fire for meeting a top French cardinal accused of covering up for a paedophile priest in a scandal that has shaken France’s Catholic Church.
A number of sex abuse scandels involving the Roman Catholic Church in recent years have included allegations priests have been transferred to different areas instead of being reported to police.
He goes on to note that canon law already provides the possibility of the removal from ecclesiastical office “for grave causes” and this refers also to diocesan bishops, eparchs and those of equivalent status by law. “This is very welcome but it is now down to seeing what actions, if any, are taken on the basis of the new procedures”, she said.
The main USA victims’ group, SNAP, said it was “extraordinarily skeptical” about the new procedures since popes have always had the power to oust complicit bishops but haven’t wielded it.
In the law, Francis said a bishop can be removed if his actions or omissions cause “grave harm”, either physical, moral, spiritual or financial, to individuals or communities.
According to the New York Times, Francis’ predecessors Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II “defrocked” about 850 priests for sexual abuse and penalized another 2,500, but “there was no similar judicial mechanism for bishops”.
What do you think of this public announcement by Pope Francis? – On Saturday, Pope Francis issued an edict on the protection of minors and vulnerable adults, in which he said that negligence on the part of a bishop can constitute removal from office.
“A “process” is helpful only if it’s used often enough to deter wrongdoing”. In such circumstances, the bishop would be given the opportunity to defend himself.
In the decree, the Pope states bishops “must be particularly diligent in protecting those who are the weakest among the people entrusted to them”.
If “serious evidence” shows that bishops have neglected their duty – any of their pastoral duties, including following through on abuse cases – then the Vatican will investigate those bishops.
Advertisement
Barbarin will be questioned by police shortly, the sources told AFP.A United States group representing victims of paedophile priests suggested that the Vatican’s initiative on Saturday sought to put a brake on efforts to stop abusers and bring them to justice. If he doesn’t, the Vatican can issue a removal decree.
