VATICAN CITY
Latin American Herald Tribune
ROME – Pope Francis has convened a seven-member panel of bishops and cardinals with the aim of speeding up the appeals process for priests convicted of sexual abuse or other serious offenses, the Vatican said in a statement.
The decision stems from the need to ensure greater expediency when considering appeals, the statement said, and added that the committee’s activities will not affect existing competencies.
Cases are to be considered by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) the former Holy Office, to which the new commission is attached.
The chairman and the seven members of the new body are to be appointed by Pope Francis himself, the statement added.
During the CDF’s Ordinary Session, named Feria IV, possible violations are examined. The newly-created body will be responsible for analyzing resources but will not “modify any established powers,” under the new rules.
If a bishop were convicted, his appeal would be considered by the CDF’s Ordinary Session, but the Pope may also determine the competent authority to consider other cases.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.