VATICAN CITY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
February 8, 2015
By Philip Pullella / Reuters
VATICAN CITY — A commission advising Pope Francis on how to root out sexual abuse of children by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church is studying sanctions for bishops suspected of cover-ups or of failing to prevent abuse, members said Saturday.
“There have to be consequences,” Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, the head of the commission, told a news conference.
Victims groups have been urging the Vatican for years to make bishops more accountable for abuse in their dioceses even if they were not directly responsible for it. …
However, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which has long campaigned for bishops to be held accountable, called Cardinal O’Malley’s comments “insulting and deceptive” to victims and demanded immediate action.
“O’Malley knows that the church has plenty of ways, right now, to respond when bishops are complicit in clergy sex crimes and cover ups. The pope can oust them,” the U.S.-based group said in a statement.
Mr. Saunders also criticized Pope Francis on Saturday for appearing to endorse parents who spanked their children.
“Children don’t need to be hit. We need to talk about positive parenting … physical violence has no part in modern-day child upbringing,” Mr. Saunders said.
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