Pope meets with child protection advisory board amid survivor calls for zero tolerance on abuse
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which is made up of religious and lay experts in fighting abuse as well as survivors, called the hourlong audience a 'significant moment of reflection, dialogue, and renewal of the church's unwavering commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people.' The group said it updated history's first American pope on its activities, including an initiative to help church communities in poorer parts of the world prevent abuse and care for victims.
The Vatican did not provide the text of Leo's remarks or make the audio of the audience available to reporters.
Pope Francis created the commission early on in his pontificate to advise the church on best practices and placed a trusted official, Boston's then-archbishop, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, in charge.
But as the abuse scandal spread globally during Francis' 12-year pontificate, the commission lost its influence its crowning recommendation — the creation of a tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for predator priests — went nowhere. After many years of reform and new members, it has become a place where victims can go to be heard and bishops can get advice on crafting guidelines to fight abuse.
O'Malley turned 80 last year and retired as archbishop of Boston, but he remains president of the commission and headed the delegation meeting with Leo in the Apostolic Palace.
It has often fallen to O'Malley to speak out on egregious cases that have arrived at the Vatican, including one that remains on Leo's desk: The fate of the ex-Jesuit artist, the Rev. Marko Rupnik, who has been accused by two dozen women of sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse over decades.
After coming under criticism that a fellow Jesuit had apparently received preferential treatment, Francis in 2023 ordered the Vatican to waive the statute of limitations on the case and prosecute him canonically. But as recently as March, the Vatican still hadn't found judges to open the trial. Meanwhile, the victims are still waiting for justice and Rupnik continues to minister, with his supporters defending him and denouncing a 'media lynching' campaign against him.
Leo, the Chicago-born former Cardinal Robert Prevost, has been credited by victims of helping to dismantle an abusive Catholic movement in Peru, where he served as bishop for many years. But other survivors have asked him to account for other cases while he was a superior in the Augustinian religious order, bishop in Peru and head of the Vatican's bishops' office.
The main U.S. survivor group, SNAP, has also called for Leo to adopt the U.S. policy calling for any priest who has been credibly accused of abuse to be permanently removed from ministry.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Europeans meet with Iranian officials face-to-face for first time since Israel, US bombings as sanctions loom
European diplomats met with Iranians on Friday face-to-face for the first time since Israel and the U.S. bombed the country last month. The "serious, frank and detailed" meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, lasted for around four hours and the officials all agreed to meet again for continued negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. Sanctions that were lifted on Iran in 2015 after it agreed to restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program could be reimposed if Iran doesn't comply with requirements. One of Europe's E3 nations – Britain, France and Germany, who held the talks with Iran – could bring back sanctions under the "snapback" mechanism, which allows one of the European countries to bring back U.N. sanctions if Iran violates the conditions. European leaders have also said that sanctions will start being reinstated by the end of August if there is no progress on reining in Iran's nuclear program. "A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity before the talks on Friday. The diplomat added that the snapback mechanism "remains on the table." Iran said that the U.S. needs to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal – after President Trump pulled America out of it in 2018 – saying Iran has "absolutely no trust in the United States." The U.S. bombed Iran's nuclear sites on June 22, a little over a week after Israel had bombed the country over national security concerns about its nuclear program. Iran responded by attacking Israel and a U.S. Army base in Qatar. Isreal and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on June 24. The IAEA issued a concerning report in May that said that Iran's stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium had grown by nearly 50% in three months.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gregg Wallace 'sorry' but says he's 'not a groper'
Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has said he is "so sorry" to anyone he hurt, but insisted that he is "not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher". In a new interview with The Sun, the TV presenter also defended his sacked co-host John Torode, saying he is "not a racist". Wallace was sacked earlier this month after a report upheld 45 allegations about his behaviour on the programme, including one of unwelcome physical contact and three of being in a state of undress. Torode was also axed after a claim against him using "an extremely offensive racist term" was upheld. He has said he has "no recollection" of the incident. The inquiry, conducted by an independent law firm, was ordered by MasterChef's production company Banijay in the wake of a BBC News investigation last year, which first revealed claims of misconduct against Wallace. Since then, more than 50 people have come forward to BBC News with claims against him. They include allegations he groped one MasterChef worker at a wrap party and pulled his trousers down in front of another. Gregg Wallace sacked as 50 more people make claims Wallace faces backlash over autism defence MasterChef crisis: Wallace and Torode were 'never friends' Wallace 'sorry' after 45 claims against him upheld The majority of substantiated claims against Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, but also culturally insensitive or racist comments. In his first interview since being sacked, the presenter acknowledged that he had said things that "offended people, that weren't socially acceptable and perhaps they felt too intimidated or nervous to say anything at the time. "I understand that now - and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry." He indicated his background was to blame for those comments, as a former greengrocer from Peckham working in an environment that was "jovial and crude". But he added: "I'm not a groper. People think I've been taking my trousers down and exposing myself - I am not a flasher. "People think I'm a sex pest. I am not." Wallace said that one of the upheld claims against him related to a widely reported incident in which he had allegedly walked around MasterChef's set naked with a sock on his penis. Addressing that incident, he said that there were no contestants on set, and just four of his friends from the show outside his dressing room door. "I was getting changed to go to a black tie event, a charity event. I put my bow tie on and my shirt. It's only them outside the door. I put the sock on, opened the door, went, 'Wahey!' and shut the door again. "The people interviewed were either amused or bemused. Nobody was distressed," he claimed. Autism defence Ahead of the report's publication earlier this month, Wallace posted a now-deleted statement on Instagram in which he appeared to link the misconduct allegations he was facing to his recent autism diagnosis. That led to a backlash from charities and groups working with disabled people. One charity told BBC News that autism is "not a free pass for bad behaviour", while other groups warned that such remarks risked stigmatising the autistic community. In his interview on Friday night, Wallace spoke again about his diagnosis, saying: "I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a disability, a registered disability." He also repeated a claim that he "never [wears] pants", saying: "It's not sexualised. It's hypersensitivity - that happens with autism." Last week, Wallace's co-host Torode was sacked after an allegation of using a severely offensive racist term was upheld. BBC News has since revealed that the alleged incident took place on the set of MasterChef in 2018. Torode has said any racist language is "wholly unacceptable". Addressing the claim against his co-host, Wallace said: "I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. "And as evidence of that, I'll show you the incredible diversity of the people that he has championed, MasterChef winners, over the years. There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through." But he added that he had unfollowed Torode and his wife Lisa Faulkner on social media, saying: "We never really did get on that well. "We're two very, very different characters." Earlier this week, the BBC announced that a new series of MasterChef, which was recorded before Wallace and Torode were sacked, will still be broadcast as planned, on BBC One and iPlayer. Some of the women who came forward with claims against Wallace have said they did not think the new series should be shown. One former MasterChef worker, who claims he groped her, told BBC News the decision to go ahead showed "a blatant disregard for the people who have come forward". The BBC said it had taken the decision "after careful consideration and consultation with the contestants". It added it has not yet taken a decision on what to do with the completed celebrity series and Christmas special. New MasterChef series starring sacked hosts to be aired Gregg Wallace sacked as 50 more people make claims Gregg Wallace faces backlash over autism defence MasterChef crisis: Wallace and Torode were 'never friends' Wallace 'sorry' after 45 claims against him upheld John Torode sacked as MasterChef presenter
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
World Court's Climate Change Opinion Could Alter Sustainability Reporting Debate
Judges are seated as the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, opens hearings ... More into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change and help vulnerable nations fight its devastating impact, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) After over two years of proceedings, the International Court of Justice released its Advisory Opinion relating to the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change on July 23. The Court found that large GHG emitting countries, like the United States, must take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including those of private business. While not directly addressing sustainability reporting, advocates will invoke the opinion to argue nations must implement reporting standards to monitor and force businesses to reduce GHG emissions. The ICJ was established in 1945 through the UN Charter to handle legal disputes between nations. Known as the World Court, it is an outlet for countries to settle civil disputes through a neutral court. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected by the UNGA and UN Council to serve a term of nine years. A country may only have one judge serving on the ICJ at a time. On March 29, 2023, at the request of Vanuatu, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on the legal obligations of countries in preventing climate change. The opinion, while non-binding, gives an indicator of how the Court may interpret future climate related litigation and guide future legislative development. Following two years of proceedings, including both written and oral statements, the Court issued its opinion, and a shorter summary of the opinion, on July 23. The 140 page opinion primarily focuses on interpreting obligations under existing climate treaties, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement. It also looked at a recent opinion by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea that found climate change obligations exist in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Finally, it considered customary international law. The court found that countries are obligated to take action to reduce GHG gas emissions. Failure to act could result in large GHG emitting countries owing reparations to smaller countries for the adverse impacts of climate change. Opening the door to a wave of litigation before the ICJ as developing countries seek compensation. Notably, these obligations do not arise exclusively from the Paris Agreement or the UNFCCC. The Court rejected arguments made by large countries, including the United States, Australia, and Germany, that the creation of a treaty that specifically addresses climate change overrides any other international law on the subject. This is known as lex specialis. The Court found a 'duty to prevent significant harm to the environment' exists under customary international law. The Court's rejection of lex specialis effectively renders Trump's exit from the Paris Agreement as moot when it comes to liability. The court established liability in two parts, or elements. "The main elements of the obligation of prevention in the context of protection of the climate system are (a) the environmental harm to be prevented and (b) due diligence as the required standard of conduct.' Looking at sustainability reporting, the relevant obligations are found in paragraphs 281 and 282 of the opinion, addressing the due diligence requirement. Quoting the ITLOS opinion, the ICJ stated that countries are required to The opinion then applied the standard to climate change. Sustainability advocates will use that obligation to argue that countries must enact sustainability reporting requirements. Sustainability reporting, and the broader environmental, social, and governance reporting, requires companies to disclose GHG emissions through financial statements. For now, sustainability reporting regulations only require companies to provide information. They do not require businesses to reduce GHG emissions. However, once the information is publicly available, advocates and interested nations can use that information to force companies to reduce emissions through regulatory action and the courts. As the European Union debates significant reductions to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, expect advocates to argue the changes violate the ICJ opinion. Similar arguments will arise in other jurisdictions around the world. However, the debate is political and the opinion is not legally binding. Countries and their elected leaders will choose whether or not to acknowledge the opinion. Application will come through the courts.
