A group of mobile experts has been set up by the Vatican to help certain episcopal conferences around the world to finalize their rules to prevent sexual assaults against minors by members of the clergy, the Holy See announced on Friday.
One year after the summit of presidents of world episcopal conferences, this announcement, intended for the victims, risks once again wondering about the slowness of the Church. Pope Francis had already mentioned at the summit last year the creation of mobile teams of specialists who could help certain episcopal conferences and dioceses "without means".
A “vade-mecum” in case of suspicion of sexual assault
He mainly intended to put pressure on episcopates of Asia and Africa claiming to feel little concerned by the scandals of sexual assaults. The enactment of these rules has been requested at episcopal conferences since 2011, but the Vatican did not provide any statistics on Friday on the realization of this request. Father Federico Lombardi, who had coordinated the February 2019 summit, however understands that "only a dozen episcopal conferences do not yet have formal rules".
These are mainly countries suffering from war or extreme poverty, where this is not considered a priority. A “vade-mecum” specifying the steps to be taken in the event of a suspicion of sexual assault, another promise from the summit, will also be released soon for the episcopates of countries lacking experts. The group of experts announced on Friday will have to be called upon by the episcopal conferences, including to regularly update their rules.
Pontifical secret lifted and canon law modified
The group's Maltese coordinator, Andrew Azzopardi, recalls that the advice issued by each episcopal conference must address three points: how to listen to the victims, how to better train religious and lay people in prevention, and finally how to act in the event of an allegation of sexual assault by the clergy. These rules cannot be completely uniform for bishops around the world because they must take into account local cultures and sensibilities, he explains.
In December, Pope Francis had taken an important step by lifting the pontifical secret on sexual assault, which allows the delivery of documents internal to the Church to the magistrates of civil justice concerning complaints or trials. In May 2019, the Church also amended canon law to make it mandatory to report any suspicion of sexual assault, harassment, or coverage of such assaults. The Church does not, however, oblige its members to report these matters to the judicial authorities of the country in question, except where local law so requires.
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