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| Pope Francis calls for action on clerical sex abuse | Pope Francis calls for action on clerical sex abuse |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pope Francis has called for "decisive action" in the fight against sex abuse of minors by priests. | Pope Francis has called for "decisive action" in the fight against sex abuse of minors by priests. |
| He told Bishop Gerhard Mueller, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith - the doctrinal watchdog that deals with sex abuse cases - to ensure perpetrators were punished. | |
| It was the Argentine Pope's first public statement on clerical sex abuse. | It was the Argentine Pope's first public statement on clerical sex abuse. |
| He was elected last month, replacing Pope Emeritus Benedict, who became the first pope in 600 years to resign. | He was elected last month, replacing Pope Emeritus Benedict, who became the first pope in 600 years to resign. |
| When first elected, Benedict XVI promised to rid his Church of the "filth" of clerical sex abuse, but critics accused him of covering up abuse in the past and failing to protect children from paedophile priests. | |
| Victims of sex abuse by clergy have called for a strong response from the new pontiff to the crisis that has rocked the Church. | |
| 'Action not gestures' | |
| In his remarks on Friday, Pope Francis said combating the crisis, which has mired the Church in scandal from the US, Ireland and Europe to Australia, was important for the credibility of the Church. | |
| A Vatican statement said the Pope had urged Bishop Mueller to "act decisively as far as cases of sexual abuse are concerned, promoting, above all, measures to protect minors, help for those who have suffered such violence in the past (and) the necessary procedures against those who are guilty". | |
| In 2011, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith called on bishops' conferences around the world to submit guidelines for helping victims; protecting children; selecting and training priests and religious; dealing with accused priests; and collaborating with local authorities. | |
| Three-quarters of the 112 bishops' conferences have sent in such guidelines, with most of those yet to respond coming from Africa, the Vatican says. | |
| The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) had called for Pope Francis to do more to safeguard children. | |
| "He should stop issuing apologies and making gestures, and instead demote bishops who continue to conceal heinous crimes," SNAP Executive Director David Clohessy told the BBC before Pope Francis made the remarks. | |
| "And he should insist that prelates work with secular authorities to craft and pass stronger child sex laws across the globe." |