Pope Francis issues new law requiring all Catholic priests & nuns to report clergy sexual abuse & cover-ups

Pope Francis has created a new law ordering those in Catholic church to report sexual abuse and cover-ups.

The new law comes after the church found itself embroiled in sexual abuse allegations.

The pontiff’s letter is being seen as a message that no-one will be exempt from scrutiny, following his promise in February to take concrete action to tackle abuse.

The letter states: ‘All of us, in fact, are called to give concrete witness of faith in Christ in our lives and, in particular, in our relationship with others.’

‘The crimes of sexual abuse offend Our Lord, cause physical, psychological and spiritual damage to the victims and harm the community of the faithful.’

Three forms of sexual abuse are included in the letter including an offence of ‘Forcing someone, by violence or threat or through abuse of authority, to perform or submit to sexual acts’.

Other offences include ‘performing sexual acts with a minor or a vulnerable person’, ‘Production, exhibition, possession or distribution... of child pornography’ and ‘the recruitment of or inducement of a minor or a vulnerable person to participate in pornographic exhibitions’

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The rules also apply to historical cases, meaning priests and nuns must report earlier cases of abuse.

The Pope also demanded victims reporting abuse must be listened to and supported, as well as offered spiritual, medical and psychological help.

The new law, which is comprised of 16 Articles, read under ‘Reporting’: ‘Whenever a cleric or a member of an Institute of Consecrated Life or of a Society of Apostolic Life has notice of, or well-founded motives to believe that, one of the facts referred to in article 1 has been committed, that person is obliged to report promptly the fact to the local Ordinary where the events are said to have occurred or to another Ordinary.’An announcement was made via verified Vatican News Twitter account.

A statement read: ‘#PopeFrancis releases an Apostolic Letter 'Motu Proprio' entitled "Vos estis lux mundi”, regarding norms for the handling of clerical abuse cases and attempts to cover them up.

When he was elected in 2013, he called for ‘decisive action’ on abuse.

In March, a law was introduced that makes it compulsory to report the sexual abuse of children within the Vatican and in its diplomatic missions.

However critics say the pontiff has not done enough to hold to account bishops who allegedly engaged in sexual abuse cover ups.

And in August of last year, the Pope said he would “not say one word” in response to explosive allegations from a retired Vatican official claiming he covered up sexual abuse and should resign.