Pope Francis is assembling a panel of experts to
advise him about protecting children from sexually abusive priests and
about helping victims who have already been harmed. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, announced the creation of the commission at the conclusion of a meeting between Francis and his eight cardinal advisers who are helping him govern the church and reform the Vatican bureaucracy.
Boston was at the centre of the 2002 clerical sexual abuse scandal in the US.
Archbishop O'Malley told reporters the commission would study current programmes to protect children, better screen priests, train church personnel and suggest new initiatives.