The Vatican is to set up a
new e-learning centre to help safeguard children and victims of sexual
abuse by clergy, as part of its efforts to deal with damaging scandals.
The Roman Catholic Church is preparing for a major conference on abuse to take place next February in Rome.
The Vatican has told bishops to come up with guidelines to combat abuse, in line with local laws.
The Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals of sexual abuse by priests.
The centre will offer guidance to those who have to respond
to abuse cases, as well as providing information for victims. Its advice
will be available in German, English, French, Spanish and Italian.
"The e-learning centre will work with medical institutions
and universities to develop a constant response to the problems of
sexual abuse," said Monsignor Klaus Peter Franzl of the archdiocese of
Munich, according to the Reuters news agency.
Officials said private donors had pledged funds to maintain
the database for an initial three years, the Associated Press reported.
Loss of faith
Victims' groups have criticised the Vatican for its slow response to allegations of sexual abuse by clergy.
Baroness Sheila Hollins, who will be one of the main speakers
at the conference, said she hoped the victims' point of view would be
at the forefront of the debate.
"Some have lost their faith and are unable to go in a church
because of the presence of a priest; others have kept their faith
despite it all," said Baroness Hollins, who is professor of psychiatry
at St George's University in London.
The BBC's David Willey in Rome says the Vatican appears to be
coming round to the view that the measures taken by the leadership of
the Catholic Church in England and Wales during the past decade to deal
with clerical sexual abuse of children could provide a model for other
countries to follow.
Next year's conference will include experts in psychiatry,
church law, sociology and child protection programmes, as well as 200
bishops and religious superiors. It is being held in conjunction with
the Pontifical Gregorian University, a Jesuit institution.
Last month, Pope Benedict XVI told bishops around the world
they must report promptly all suspected cases of sexual abuse of minors
by Catholic priests to local police.
The Vatican's sex crimes prosecutor Monsignor Charles
Scicluna admitted some bishops' conferences had no interest in being
forced into drafting guidelines.
But he told reporters in Rome that bishops would be unwise to ignore the advice of experts at the symposium.