IRELAND
Irish Times

Vatican’s announcement on tribunal to hold bishops to account on how they dealt with clerical sex abuse complaints should be broadly welcomed

Mon, Jun 15, 2015

The announcement by the Vatican that it is to set up a tribunal to hold bishops to account where they fail to protect children and vulnerable adults from sexually abusive priests, is to be welcomed.

Based at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, but headed by its own secretary, it will examine all cases of bishops accused of abusing their office and failing to report crimes committed by priests in their care. The announcement indicates that Pope Francis is serious about the issue of sexually abusive clergy. It is also important for the credibility of the Commission for the Protection of Minors, which he set up.

As significant was the speed with which the commission’s recommendations about such…