A new Vatican law by Pope Francis has decreed that Roman Catholic bishops who are sympathizers of pedophile priests risk been removed from office.
The law observes stern measures upon priests who are found to be “negligent” when dealing with priests accused of abusing children.
Catholic activists had exerted pressure on the catholic church to take action and protect the congregation from abusive priests.
The pope issued the statement on Saturday and made it clear that even bishops who are not personally accused of abusing children can be removed from their posts for failing to take responsibility.
The new papal decree streamlined the process of ecclesiastical investigations in abuse cases and stated explicitly that negligence in their official conduct could result in high-ranking clerics’ removal.
Bishops already have faced the possibility of losing their jobs if “grave reasons” for their removal are found.
Victims of sex abuse by priests in the world have long complained that some bishops cover up such offenses, usually by transferring priests involved to another parish but not reporting their actions to police.
The new procedures call for the Vatican to open an investigation when “serious evidence” of a bishop’s negligence is presented. The bishop will be informed and allowed to defend himself and, if he is found guilty, will be allowed to resign rather than be publicly dismissed.
Any decision to terminate a bishop’s appointment would have to be ratified by the pope and his legal advisers.
The Roman Catholic Church, estimated to have more than one billion members worldwide, has been rocked for the past 15 years by scandals involving priests who abused children but escaped criminal prosecution.
Many cases were reported in the United States, but similar sex-abuse controversies arose in other countries where Catholicism is widely practiced.