Experts appointed to tackle abuse in the Catholic Church are quitting their roles. Keith Porteous Wood says this demonstrates the dire mess the Church is in – and that justice can only be secured if secular authorities play their part in holding the Church to account.

Professor Hans Zollner, regarded as “one of the greatest experts” on clerical abuse in the Catholic Church and an “ambassador for safeguarding”, has resigned from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, despite his term of office still having two years to run.

This Commission was set up to advise the Pope on “the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults” and “to promote local responsibility in the particular churches”.

Zollner (pictured) was appointed in 2014 by the Pope as one of the Commission’s founding members. He resigned over concerns about the Commission’s “responsibility, compliance, accountability…