Marie Collins, an Irish sexual abuse victim, has been appointed by the Pope to the Vatican Commission on protecting children from clerical abuse.
The group consists of 8 members from different countries and was set up to improve measures to protect children against sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. There is no indication as to what the commission’s scope will be. The members will be in charge of rounding out the “commission for safeguarding minors” and defining the scope of the group’s action.
“Pope Francis has made clear that the Church must hold the protection of minors amongst her highest priorities,” Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi said in a statement.
“Looking to the future without forgetting the past, the Commission will take a multi-pronged approach to promoting youth protection,” he said.
This multi-pronged approach will include taking criminal action against offenders, educating people about the exploitation of children, developing best practices to better screen priests, and defining the civil and clerical duties within the Church, Lombardi said.
Click here to read a full report on Marie Collin’s appointment in the Irish Times