Pope 'Must Hand over Sex Abuse Files'

9 News
March 13, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/03/14/08/45/pope-must-hand-over-sex-abuse-files

Pope Francis must commit to handing over secret Vatican files about child sex abuse in Australia, an advocacy group for people abused by priests says.

Nicky Davis, of the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), called on the new Pope on Thursday to show that the church is serious about tackling child sexual abuse.

She said the Catholic Church had never voluntarily handed over incriminating documents or cooperated with law enforcement or official inquiries into the issue.

"One of the first actions of the new Pope should be to open all the secret Vatican files relating to child sexual abuse in Australia and hand them to Australia's royal commission."

The federal government has established the commission to inquire into institutional responses to child sex abuse in Australia.

Ms Davis said there was no reason to assume the Vatican or its representatives in Australia would cooperate with the royal commission, when canon law and other church procedures expressly forbade it.

"We sincerely hope this new Pope is different."

Ms Davis said the Pope should not only open the secret archives but revoke all church laws and procedures requiring secrecy and the protection of reputations to override child safety.

"Then, and only then, will abuse victims have cause to hope for something from this new Pope other than more of the usual denials, excuses and evasions."