Pope changes Church law to make reporting sex abuse obligatory

Pope Francis yesterday  passed a measure to oblige those who know about sex abuse in the Catholic Church to report it to their superiors, following a global clerical paedophilia scandal. Every diocese in the world will now be obliged to have a system for the reporting of abuse, under a new law published by the Vatican—but the requirement will not apply to secrets revealed to priests in the confessional.

It is time to learn from the “bitter lessons of the past”, Francis said in the text of the legal decree. It follows a series of clerical assault cases in countries ranging from Australia to Chile, Germany and the US. The “Motu Proprio”, a legal document issued under the pope’s personal authority, declares that anyone who has knowledge of abuse, or suspects it, is “obliged to report (it) promptly” to the Church, using “easily accessible systems”.

“Though this obligation was formerly left up to individual consciences, it now becomes a universally established legal precept” within the Church, said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Vatican’s communications department.

The law only applies within the Church and has no force to oblige individuals to report abuse to civil authorities.

Under the new measure, every diocese around the world is obliged by June 2020 to create a system for the reporting of sexual abuse by clerics, the use of child pornography and cover-ups of abuse.

 

Pope changes Church law to make reporting sex abuse obligatory

Pope Francis yesterday passed a measure to oblige those who know about sex abuse in the Catholic Church to report it to their superiors, following a global clerical paedophilia scandal. Every diocese in the world will now be obliged to have a system for the reporting of abuse, under a new law published by the Vaticanbut the requirement will not apply to secrets revealed to priests in the confessional. It is time to learn from the bitter lessons of the past, Francis said in the text of the legal decree. It follows a series of clerical assault cases in countries ranging from Australia to Chile, Germany and the US. The Motu Proprio, a legal document issued under the popes personal authority, declares that anyone who has knowledge of abuse, or suspects it, is obliged to report (it) promptly to the Church, using easily accessible systems. Though this obligation was formerly left up to individual consciences, it now becomes a universally established legal precept within the Church, said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Vaticans communications department. The law only applies within the Church and has no force to oblige individuals to report abuse to civil authorities. Under the new measure, every diocese around the world is obliged by June 2020 to create a system for the reporting of sexual abuse by clerics, the use of child pornography and cover-ups of abuse.