Pontifical abuse body must step up its work

THE VATICAN commission set up to deal with child abuse must meet more often to be properly effective, the chairman of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission said this week, writes Joanna Moorhead.

Responding to the interview with anti-abuse campaigner Peter Saunders in last week’s Tablet, Danny Sullivan backed his call for a step change in the scale of the commission’s work. 

“At the moment they only meet twice a year, and it’s hard to think how they will manage to achieve all they need to achieve with only that level of meetings. It makes you wonder if they should be meeting at least every quarter,” said Mr Sullivan.

He was doubtful, though, about Mr Saunders’ idea that the new Vatican group – called the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults – could become an FBI-style bureau to fight abuse.