Vatican planning e-centre, conference to combat clergy sex abuse

(June 20,2011) The Vatican said on Saturday it is working to give bishops information on the best ways to combat clergy sex abuse, teaming up with the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome to host an international symposium on abuse and launch an Internet learning centre for follow-up guidance. The symposium, "Towards Healing and Renewal," next February will draw experts in psychiatry, church law, sociology and child protection programmes to the Gregorian University for three days of meetings and workshops with 200 bishops and religious superiors. The meetings are designed in part to help bishops draft guidelines to combat abuse that must be submitted to the Holy See by next year for review. The Gregorian University will also launch a multi-lingual Internet learning centre to provide church leaders with the latest in ongoing research on how to prevent abuse, train priests properly, protect children and help victims heal. Private donors have pledged funds to maintain the database for an initial three years, officials said. The e-learning centre and the conference are the Church's latest efforts to come to grips with the scandal that has rocked it around the world. Two months ago the Vatican sent a directive to all bishops telling them they must make it a global priority to root out sexual abuse of children by priests. The Vatican has told the bishops that each diocese must draw up tough guidelines, based on a global approach but in line with local criminal law, to deal with cases of abuse. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the initiatives were meant to assure the people the Church’s long-term commitment to the solution of the problem.