Bishops face sack for mishandling abuse under papal plans

Pope Francis has approved measures to sack bishops who mishandle child sexual abuse cases, a papal decree says. Bishops who are “negligent” in dealing with priests committing abuse will be removed under the new legal procedures. The decree comes in response to long-running demands by abuse victims and their supporters to hold bishops accountable if […]

Pope Francis has approved measures to sack bishops who mishandle child sexual abuse cases, a papal decree says.
Bishops who are “negligent” in dealing with priests committing abuse will be removed under the new legal procedures.
The decree comes in response to long-running demands by abuse victims and their supporters to hold bishops accountable if they fail to protect their flocks from paedophiles.
Existing laws relating to abuse cases would be tightened, the Pope said.
He acknowledged that canon law already allows for a bishop to be removed for negligence but says he wants a more precise definition of the “grave reasons” that could lead to dismissal.
Some bishops have covered up abuse by transferring perpetrators from parish to parish rather than reporting them to police.
Pope Francis set up a Vatican commission to establish best practice in relation to abuse cases and expose wrongdoing in parishes in 2014.