Pope reveals new measures for bishops who mishandle sex abuse

[Little Tich]

Source: Irish Times

Bishops found to have mishandled child sex abuse cases can be removed from office under amended church law

Pope Francis has copperfastened the concept of “Bishop Accountability” in relation to the handling of sex abuse cases within the Catholic Church on Saturday.

In a new papal decree or “motu proprio”, the Pope has established new norms for the removal of bishops who “through negligence, committed or omitted acts” have caused harm either to individuals or to the community:

“With this present Apostolic Letter, I want to specify that among those grave causes (that lead to removal from office) is included negligence by Bishops in their duties, particularly relative to the handling of cases of sexual abuse committed on minors or vulnerable adults.”

Read more: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/pope-reveals-new-measures-for-bishops-who-mishandle-sex-abuse-1.2673335

[Jnclr89]

1. How about turning them over to the authorities too?

put these animals in prison!

[Crash2Parties]

2. Spin. Actually he cancelled the tribunal & instead reiterated/clarified existing procedures.

Pope Francis on Saturday (June 4) scrapped his proposed tribunal to prosecute bishops who covered up for pedophile priests after it ran into opposition and instead clarified legal procedures to remove them if the Vatican finds they were negligent.

http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2016/06/pope_scraps_tribunal_for_bisho.html

And by the way, the "legality" of those procedures are only valid inside the church itself; they have no relevance to the outside world. In the eyes of the Vatican, excluding a priest from their club is somehow morally the same as if he actually had to answer to a civil legal system and be subject to an actual, objective punishment such as prison time.