Pope issues law to force priests and nuns to report sexual abuse

Associated Press in Vatican City
Thu 9 May 2019 11.20 BST Last modified on Thu 9 May 2019 11.28 BST

Pope Francis has issued a new law requiring all Catholic priests and nuns around the world to report clergy sexual abuse and cover-ups by their superiors to church authorities, in a groundbreaking effort to hold the Catholic hierarchy accountable for failing to protect their flocks.

The church law published on Thursday provides whistleblower protections for anyone making a report and requires all dioceses around the world to have a system in place to receive the claims confidentially. It outlines procedures for conducting preliminary investigations when the accused is a bishop, cardinal or religious superior.

It is the latest effort by Francis to respond to the global eruption of the sex abuse and cover-up scandal that has devastated the credibility of the Catholic hierarchy and his own papacy.

WORLD NEWS MAY 9, 2019 / 6:19 AM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Pope issues sweeping decree holding bishops accountable for sex abuse or cover ups

Philip Pullella
2 MIN READ

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis introduced sweeping changes in Catholic Church law on Thursday to hold bishops accountable for sexual abuse or covering it up, making reporting obligatory for clerics and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if needed.

A papal decree, which covers abuse of both children and adults, also obliges every Catholic diocese in the world to set up simple and accessible reporting systems and encourages local churches to involve lay experts in investigations.

The decree, whose preparation was reported first by Reuters in April, is the second such papal provision since a summit on abuse by senior Church bishops at the Vatican in February.

It sets time limits for local investigations and the Vatican’s response to them and allows for retroactive reporting.

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