Pope assembles anti-child sex abuse task force

AFRIKANMAN

Pope Francis on Thursday ordered the formation of a team of experts to address the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church, in his first major step to tackle a crisis that has plagued it for two decades.

The group will consider ways to better screen priests, protect minors and help victims in the face of charges the Vatican has not done enough to guard the vulnerable or make amends. "The commission will be able to advise the Holy Father about the protection of children and pastoral care of victims of abuse," the archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, told reporters in Vatican City..............................

http://www.mweb.co.za/News/ViewArticle/tabid/2909/Article/10504/Pope-assembles-anti-child-sex-abuse-task-force.aspx

cantleave

I am actually beginning to have some respect for this guy. He still has a loooong way to go, but he is making some moves in the right direction.

KateWild

Well the proof is in the puuding, I think it's a smoke screen, like politians who say "well the previous Prime Mininster left us with this, so we are going to do the following to clear his mess up"

Maybe I am too cynical. Kate xx

Phizzy

Of course, the W.T is above such things. Having legally gagged many a past victim they can pretend they don't have a problem. Any kind of care for the victims has never been encouraged by the W.T.

The Catholic Church is at least trying.

Vidiot

Just about anybody'd be an improvement over Darth Benedict.

Simon

Its more promising than simply claiming they don't have a problem.

More pressure on other religions to man up and take action.

nonjwspouse

The right man was elected Pope. I keep hearing more and more that he is changing at the Vatican. He can not stand the flashiness that had been pervasive at the Vatican and refuses to participate in that.

He knows there is a problem within the leadership of the Church, admits it publiclally, creates a plan to try to solve it. That is what a real leader is.

The Church has already been making it manditory for any adult working with children at the Church to take continuing education testing pertaining to signs of abuse to look for in children, where and what kind of abuse is common, etc. The education must be within the adult community even moreso than with the vulnerable children. Children are sometimes unable to recognise risky situations, or actions, whereas adults can. Adults are the ones who can help the children report to authorities since many are afraid to. The Catholic Church, in all of the educational materials, advocate to immediatly to go to the authorities NOT to the pastor of the Church. This continuing education program was created during Benedict's time. Now Pope Francis is taking it further, as he should.