Greg DalyA prominent abuse survivor has welcomed a new realism and sense of urgency in how the Church is dealing with abuse and child protection.
“Maybe it’s becoming more difficult for people in leadership to stay in place when their positions are untenable, and it’s good that resignations are being accepted more quickly,” Marie Collins told The Irish Catholic in the aftermath of Pope Francis having accepted the resignations of two US bishops just days after criminal and civil charges were filed against their archdiocese for alleged child protection failures.
She also praised how quickly Pope Francis agreed to adopt recommendations from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, of which she is the sole Irish member.
“The speed with which the commission’s recommendations were accepted by the Holy Father was very good, and I think things are moving more quickly than in the past,” she said, speculating that this was simply because “the need for change is being accepted”.
“Up to now nothing has moved very quickly,” she said, “but I think that on this issue we’re getting some acceptance that things have to move.”
Much of this new impetus, she said, is “down to Pope Francis and his leadership and the way he’s dealing with the issue, giving the approval to recommendations”, adding that that the system wherein the commission reports directly to the Pope and makes recommendations to him is working well.
Among the recommendations unanimously accepted by the council of cardinal advisers and approved by the Holy Father was that a new judicial section, potentially staffed by lay people as well as clergy, should be established within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to judge bishops responsible for child protection failures.
“Accountability has always been my priority as a survivor, so it’s good to see the concept of accountability being accepted and this tribunal set up,” she said, adding that she hopes the new section, which will be able to look at historical child protection failures as well as current ones, will be in place soon.
Lack of resources, at any rate, shouldn’t delay things, she said, as “a very important part of the recommendations is that resources are made available for this”.