Commission for protection of minors emphasises church’s duty to inform authorities.
The Vatican’s commission for the protection of minors
has issued a strongly worded statement emphasising that there is a
“moral and ethical responsibility” on relevant church authorities and
others to report all suspected cases of child sexual abuse to civil
authorities.
Commission President Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, said: “As Pope Francis
has so clearly stated: ‘The crimes and sins of the sexual abuse of
children must not be kept secret for any longer. I pledge the zealous
vigilance of the church to protect children and the promise of
accountability for all’.”