VATICAN CITY
Reuters
A prominent British member of a papal advisory commission on sexual abuse by the clergy who has been outspokenly critical of the Vatican has left the group, the Vatican said on Saturday.
A statement said that at a commission meeting “it was decided” that Peter Saunders would take a leave of absence. Saunders, head of Britain’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, would now “consider how he might best support the commission’s work”.
In a separate statement, commission president Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston said Saunders had been asked to advise the commission on the possible establishment of a victim survivor panel.
Saunders, a victim of sexual abuse by a priest, did not immediately reply to a telephone message requesting a comment.
His departure leaves only one victim of sexual abuse by a cleric, Marie Collins of Ireland, sitting on the commission, which has been slowed down by internal disputes.
Saunders had been increasingly critical of the commission, which was set up in 2014. Made up of clerics and lay people from around the world, its task is to help Pope Francis establish “best practices” in dioceses around the world to root out sex abuse in the Church. Eight of the 17-member commission are women.
The U.S.-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said it shared Saunders’ frustration with Vatican officials.
“Pete has been a brave, honest and tireless voice for kids and victims,” it said in a statement.
On the eve of the current meeting, Saunders was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying that the previous meeting last year was a “non-event,” and demanded that the pope attend the current meeting.
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