Vatican
City, 5 December 2013 (VIS) – This morning's briefing on the work
of the Council of Cardinals involved the extraordinary participation
of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, who communicated
the Pope's approval of a proposal submitted by the eight cardinals –
the creation of a Commission for the protection of minors.
“Continuing
decisively along the lines undertaken by Pope Benedict XVI, and
accepting a proposal presented by the Council of Cardinals, the Holy
Father has decided to establish a specific Commission for the
protection of minors, with the aim of advising Pope Francis on the
Holy See’s commitment to the protection of children and in pastoral
care for victims of abuse. Specifically, the Commission will study
present programmes in place for the protection of children; formulate
suggestions for new initiatives on the part of the Curia, in
collaboration with bishops, Episcopal conferences, religious
superiors and conferences of religious superiors; and indicate the
names of persons suited to the systematic implementation of these new
initiatives, including laypersons, religious and priests with
responsibilities for the safety of children, in relations with the
victims, in mental health, in the application of the law, etc.
“The
composition and competences of the Commission will be indicated
shortly, with more details from the Holy Father in an appropriate
document”.
The
Cardinal went on to mention lines of action for the future
Commission: guidelines for the protection of children, the
development and extension of norms, procedures and strategies for the
protection of children and the prevention of abuse of minors,
educational programmes for children, parents, and all those who work
with minors, guidelines for catechists, and for the formation of
seminarians, the ongoing formation of priests, protocols for
environmental safety codes of professional conduct, proof of
suitability for priestly ministry, screening and checking of previous
offences, the state of action of requests for psychiatric evaluation,
co-operation with the civil authorities, reporting of crimes,
compliance with civil law, communications regarding clergy declared
guilty, pastoral care for victims and their families, spiritual
assistance, mental health services, collaboration with experts in the
research and development of the prevention of abuse of minors,
psychology, sociology, legal sciences; collaboration with bishops and
religious superiors, optimisation of procedures, implementation of
laws and guidelines, relations with the faithful and with means of
communication, encounters with victims, supervision and
rehabilitation of clergy guilty of abuse.
The
director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J.,
subsequently communicated that the work of the Council, which will be
concluded this afternoon, continued its examination of the various
congregations of the Roman Curia yesterday and this morning.
“The
Pope participated in the meetings held yesterday afternoon and this
morning”, said Fr. Lombardi, clarifying that Pope Francis is well
and that yesterday's meeting with the cardinal archbishop of Milan,
Angelo Scola, who accompanied a delegation from EXPO MILAN 2015, was
cancelled as the Holy Father was tired following the general audience
celebrated in St. Peter's Square and therefore preferred to postpone
the event to a more suitable occasion.