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May 24, 2019

Italian bishops: 'moral obligation' to report abuse to police

Bishop Simone Giusti of Livorno, Italy, speaks to a fellow bishop at the opening of the annual spring meeting of the Italian bishops' conference at the Vatican May 20, 2019. Members of the Italian bishops' conference have approved updated guidelines for protecting children and vulnerable adults and for handling abuse allegations.

VATICAN CITY -- Italian bishops have recognized their "moral obligation" to report allegations of clerical sexual abuse to the police, said the head of the Italian bishops' child protection committee.

Published in International
May 24, 2019

Pope Francis releases new universal law on abuse reporting

Pope Francis leads his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 15, 2019. The pope has issued a new universal church law establishing procedures for reporting and investigating abuse within the church. The new church law goes into effect June 1.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis' latest effort to help the Catholic Church safeguard its members from abuse and hold its leaders accountable came in the form of a new universal law, "Vos estis lux mundi" ("You are the light of the world"), which takes effect June 1.

Published in Vatican