The Vatican announced on Friday April 21 that its commission for the fight against child crime would strengthen collaboration with its Ministry of Evangelization, in particular to train the bishops of dioceses very far from Rome.
Pope Francis instituted the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2014 to combat pedocrime within the Church.
This commission will now collaborate with the dicastery (ministry) for Evangelization under a three-year agreement.
The Commission has recently come under heavy criticism after the resignation in March of its most influential member, Hans Zollner, who accused it of suffering from structural and transparency problems.
Development of "programs"
“
During my work in the commission, I noticed problems that needed to be addressed urgently and which made it impossible for me to continue my mission
,” he had castigated.
The agreement announced on Friday calls on the Commission to work with the Dicastery to organize training for newly appointed bishops.
In an interview published by
Vatican News
, the commission's head, U.S. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, said it would help dioceses "
develop programs to make them able to welcome victims
."
"
If we had had the opportunity in the past to be informed about the protection (of minors), and to understand (these issues), the history of the Church would have been different
", he underlined.
"Help the Victims"
“
We always try to bring a survivor with us so that new bishops can hear firsthand the dramatic effects these terrible crimes have had on their lives
,” he added.
Pope Francis had asked the Commission “
to work with the episcopal conferences to ensure that they have the capacity to accompany the victims and to work with them
”.
Asked about the criticisms against the Commission, Cardinal O'Malley said that when it was established in 2014 there were "
unrealistic expectations about what this group of volunteers would be able to do to solve the problems of sexual assault in the Church and in the world
”.
