Pope Sets up Bishops’ Tribunal in Pedophile Cases
VATICAN CITY, June 10 (UPI) — Pope Francis has authorized a tribunal to deal with accountability of bishops in pedophile priest cases, the Vatican announced Wednesday.
He approved the creation of a tribunal under the Vatican agency Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with “adequate resources” so bishops can report cases of alleged child abuse by priests, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. The move is unprecedented and establishes a permanent body to make bishops more responsible for reporting cases of abuse, as recommended by the Pope’s new panel of advisors on clerical sex abuse.
The Vatican was criticized by the United Nations in 2014 for failing to stop worldwide child abuse by priests and for allowing actions to conceal it. The authorization came after the Pope met with the “C-9” group of cardinals advising him on reforms within the Catholic Church. The image of the church was tainted after information about financial improprieties and widespread pedophile behavior by priests were revealed during the tenure of Pope Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
The statement said the tribunal’s aim would be “to judge bishops with regard to crimes of the abuse of office when connected to the abuse of minors.”
