France Sets up New Clerical Sex Abuse Body

By Ruth Gledhill
Christian Today
April 13, 2016

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/france.sets.up.new.clerical.sex.abuse.body/83940.htm

The French Catholic Church is to set up a new commission to advise bishops and help them handle cases of child sex abuse by priests.

Bishop Georges Pontier, head of the French bishops' coference, disclosed the new commission's growing concerns about child sex abuse and the Catholic Church in France.

The new body will be independent, secular and chaired by a lay person. Members will include former magistrates, doctors, psychologists, teachers and parents, according to AP.

It will be set up soon, said Bishop Pontier, who met Pope Francis a few days ago.

It will include a new website and other measures

Bertrand Virieux, 44, a victim of a priest when he was a child, said the plans were not enough, however.

"We need strong decisions. And this doesn't necessarily mean units specialised in listening to victims, but rather an immediate reporting to the prosecutor," he told iTele channel.