Pope Francis cracks down on sexual abuse, other misconduct with new doctrinal congregation

In a bid to speed up the process of hearing and ruling on appeals filed by priests who have been disciplined in sexual abuse cases or other serious transgressions, Pope Francis has established a new body within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that the new doctrinal congregation has been busy since it was founded. They have been going over four or five appeals in each of their monthly meetings.

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Any cases involving bishops accused of abuse or other crimes will still be examined and judged by the entirety of the doctrinal congregation in its regular monthly meeting.

Last May there were signs in the Vatican that the Pope would be establishing the college. On May 19 the Vatican press office made the announcement that Francis had nominated Argentine Archbishop Jose Luis Mollaghan of Rosario to be part of "the commission being established to examine the appeals of clergy for delicta graviora," the Vatican term for sexual abuses on minors and other sins against the sacraments.

The college will be made up by seven cardinals or bishops. These men may or may not be members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Pope Francis will name these members, though as of November 11 none are known.

Between 2004 and 2013, the Holy See had to dismiss 848 priests as a result of charges of sexual misconduct that turned out to be true. Another 2,572 cases, the priests were banned from having contact with children and were ordered to undergo a life of prayer and penance.

Catholic Church law demands that bishops and superiors of religious orders are required to inform the doctrinal congregation of any and all accusations made against priests, if there is even the slightest hint of evidence that those accusations are true.

Still, the congregation can not conduct the trial of that person, nor can it use administrative processes to remove a person from the priesthood.

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