Pope Francis revives sex abuse advisory group amid criticism of his handling of scandal

Pope Francis has re-launched a sex abuse advisory commission and named its new members after coming under fire for his handling of the scandal.

The Pope has been criticised for his support of a Chilean bishop who has been accused by victims of witnessing and ignoring child abuse.

The announcement of the new members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors came on the same day that a Vatican investigator will take the testimony in New York of one of the main whistleblowers in the Chilean cover-up scandal.

Francis tasked Archbishop Charles Scicluna with the fact-finding mission into Bishop Juan Barros after he was criticised in Chile for defending Barros and calling the victims' cover-up accusations against him slander.

The initial three-year mandate of commission members had lapsed two months ago, on December 17.

Francis named nine new members on Saturday and kept seven from the initial group.

A Vatican statement said survivors of abuse are included, but did not identify them to protect their privacy.

Commission members are to open their April plenary by meeting with victims privately, and discussions are continuing to create an "international survivor advisory panel" to advise the commission and make sure the voices of victims are heard in all its deliberations, the statement said.