A new law issued by Pope Francis on May 9 requires all Catholic priests and nuns worldwide to report clergy sexual abuse as well as superiors who covered up abuse.
The new Vatican law provides whistleblower protections for anyone making a report to church superiors and requires all dioceses around the world to have a system in place to receive the claims confidentially. The new law also outlines procedures for conducting preliminary investigations when the accused is a bishop, cardinal or religious superior.
The Catholic church has been hit hard by allegations of sexual abuse of children and priests and accusations that officials have sought to protect perpetrators. The law is retroactive, meaning cases from years past can be reported. (TAB)
Share with others: