Indian bishops’ code on sex abuse expected in June

Tag: india

The Indian bishops’ guidelines to deal with priests abusing children would be ready next month, a Church official has said.

“We have already prepared a draft. We hope to finalize it by the end of June,” Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) told UCA News on May 3.

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The draft was the main topic when the CBCI Standing Committee, the apex body of the conference, met for their biannual meeting in Bangalore.

The April 25-28 meeting prepared the draft code that suggests reporting of sex abuse to police and defrocking those found guilty.

Father Joseph said the program was a “routine meeting” of the CBCI that took up matters of administration and policies, including the draft code.

The Divine Word priest says the draft code addresses all forms of child abuse such as child marriage, child labor, discrimination of the girl child.

“We have prepared a comprehensive policy on child abuse,” he said, adding the guidelines focus on “wholesome safety of children in and outside our institutions.”

The CBCI move came as cases of alleged child sexual abuse against Indian Catholic priests abroad had come to light in the recent past.

“While the general consensus at the conference was to report any suspected case of child sex abuse to the police, measures like defrocking and expulsion will be thought of only if the accused is convicted by a court,” Father Joseph explained.

Father Joseph said the policy also includes provisions for reform and rehabilitation of those found guilty of sex abuse. He said the policy will be finalized in India, while a copy of the draft will be sent to the Vatican for information.

http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/05/...d-in-june/