The 21 proposals of Pope Francis to fight sexual abuse in the Church

Pope Francis promised that the summit on badual abuse in the church, which began on Thursday, would give rise to concrete measures against the abuses committed by clergymen. For that, developed a summary with all the ideas proposed by several episcopal commissions and conferences to deal with pedophilia scandals.

In this way, the pontiff tries to face the skepticism of some victims, who had convened the conference on the exercise of public relations. The summary has already been distributed to hundreds of leaders gathered at the Vatican after the opening of the four-day event.

Among the 21 points which, according to the Pope, constitute "a simple starting point", the elaboration of a protocol which specifies the steps to be taken by the authority at all the key moments of the appearance of a case.

Another of the points that was most surprising was that of raise the minimum age of marriage to 16 yearssince, according to canon law, the minimum age of marriage for women is currently 14 and 16 for men.

Pope Francis said Thursday that what is expected of the Church, is not only to condemn the abuses of its clerics, but "concrete and effective measures" to eradicate them, when from his speech at the beginning of the meeting for the protection of minors until Sunday at the Vatican.

1. Prepare a practical vademecum which specifies not to follow by the authority at all key moments of the occurrence of a case.

2. establish listening facilities, composed of trained and expert people, where a first discernment of the cases of the alleged victims takes place.

3. Establish criteria for direct participation of the bishop or religious superior.

4. implement shared procedures for the examination of the charges, the protection of the victims and the right of defense of the accused.

5 Inform the civil authorities and to higher ecclesiastical authorities in accordance with civil and canonical norms.

6. make a Periodic review of protocols and standards preserve a protected environment for minors in all pastoral structures; Protocols and norms based on the principles of justice and charity that must be integrated so that the action of the Church in this area is also in keeping with its mission.

7. Establish specific protocols for handling charges against bishops.

8 Accompany, protect and treat victimsproviding them with all the support necessary for their complete recovery.

9. Increase awareness of the causes and consequences of badual abuse by: Life Long Learning Initiatives bishops, religious superiors, clergy and pastoral agents.

10. Prepare means for the pastoral community hurt by abuseas well as penitential and recovery routes for the guilty.

11. Consolidate collaboration with all people of goodwill and media operators to be able to recognize and discern the true cases of these false, accusations of slander, avoid grudges and insinuations, gossip and defamation

12 Raise the minimum age of marriage to 16 years.

13. Establish provisions that regulate and facilitate the participation of lay experts in investigations and in the different degrees of judgment of canonical processes concerning badual abuse and / or power.

14. The right to defend oneself to safeguard the principle of natural and canon law of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty of the accused. Therefore, it is necessary prevent the publication of lists of accusedeven by the dioceses, before the previous survey and the last sentence.

15. Observe the traditional principle of proportionality of sentence in relation to the crime committed. Deliberate that priests and bishops guilty of badual abuse of minors abandon the public ministry.

16. Introduce rules concerning seminarians and candidates for priesthood or religious life. For them, introduce initial and continuing education programs aimed at strengthening their human, spiritual and psychobadual maturity, as well as their interpersonal relationships and behaviors.

17. Make candidates for priesthood and consecrated life a psychological evaluation performed by qualified and accredited experts.

18. Indicate the rules governing the transfer a seminarian or religious aspirant from one seminary to another; as well as a priest or a religious from one diocese or one congregation to another.

19. formulate mandatory codes of conduct that all members of the clergy, religious, service and volunteers set appropriate boundaries in personal relationships. Specify the necessary requirements for staff and volunteers and check their criminal record.

20. Illustrate all information and data on the dangers of abuse and its effects, how to recognize the signs of abuse and how to report the suspicions of badual abuse. All this should be done in collaboration with parents, teachers, professionals and civil authorities.

21. There is a need to create, where it has not yet been done, an easily accessible body for victims who wish to report possible crimes. A organization that enjoys autonomy even vis-à-vis the local ecclesiastical authority and composed of experts (clergy and laity), who know how to express the attention of the Church to those who, in this area, consider themselves offended by the inappropriate attitudes of the clergy.

(With information from EFE and Reuters)