A clerical sexual abuse survivor’s suggestion has led the Pope’s Commission for the Protection of Minors to adopt a Day of Prayer for victims of sexual abuse.
Pope Francis announced the Day of Prayer on Monday, following a week-long meeting of the Commission.
The Commission, has a mandate to develop and educate the church about best practice and believes prayer is one part of the healing process for clerical sexual abuse survivors and the community of believers, and that public prayer is an important way of consciousness raising in the Church.
Established in 2014, the Commission suffered a setback earlier this year when one of its members, British abuse survivor Peter Saunders was sidelined after complaining that it was doing nothing to break down a culture of complacency and cover-ups within the Church.
Its emphasis on prayer and education is unlikely to appease critics who say the Church remains reluctant to hand paedophile priests over to the judicial authorities.
The Day of Prayer will complement similar initiatives already announced in various Church regions.
The Commission said it was pushing ahead with educational initiatives — including setting up its own website — designed to raise awareness about the issue of paedophilia in church communities across the globe and to train Church leaders how to handle the issue effectively.
It welcomed Francis’s announcement in June that members of the Church hierarchy can now be dismissed from office if they fail to display the diligence required of them in ensuring the protection of children.
Francis has also put in place a legal framework for paedophile clerics to be tried in the Vatican and he has been praised for holding meetings with victims of abuse in Rome and in the United States.
Some critics say his overall record on the issue is patchy and he has come under fire for standing by his finance chief George Pell.
Established in 2014, the Commission suffered a setback earlier this year when one of its members, British abuse survivor Peter Saunders was sidelined after complaining that it was doing nothing to break down a culture of complacency and cover-ups within the Church.
Source
- RawStory
- Image: Catholic Herald UK
