Pope: February 21 to 24, focus on 'The protection of minors in the Church'

Francis appoints members of the Organizing Committee, which include Card. Gracias. The meeting will include people who have been abused by the clergy.


Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The meeting "The protection of minors in the Church" on the problem of abuses by the clergy will be held from 21 to 24 February. In this regard, Pope Francis has indicated the names of the members of the organizing committee. They are: Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago (USA), Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay (India) and President of the Bishops' Conference of India, Mgr. Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta and Deputy Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, President of the Center for the Protection of Minors of the Pontifical Gregorian University and member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who will be the referent of the Committee itself.

The meeting, attended by the Pope, will include the leaders of the Eastern Catholic Churches, the superiors of the Secretariat of State, the prefects of the congregations for the Doctrine of the faith, for the Oriental Churches, for the Bishops, for the Evangelization of Peoples, for the Clergy, for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences and the Representatives of the Union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General .

The preparatory work for the meeting will involve Dr. Gabriella Gambino, Undersecretary for the Life Section, and Dr. Linda Ghisoni, undersecretary for the Lay Faithful Section, of the Dicastery for the laity, the family and life, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and some people who have been abused by the clergy.