Catholic Church to bring guidelines to deal with sexual abuse by clergy

The Catholic Church in India will bring out guidelines to tackle sexual abuse of children by priests within the Church.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church, has called for a meeting of its standing committee on April 25 in Bangalore. Its members include 165 archbishops, cardinals and chairpersons of CBCI commissions.

The decision has come in the wake of a series of child abuse scandals involving the Catholic Church in the US, the Irish Republic, Germany and Norway.

In addition to that is the recent controversy over the alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church by senior Vatican officials, including Pope Benedict XVI, against whom UK human rights lawyers are preparing a case.

A source within the CBCI said the policy would lay down procedures for thorough investigations and stricter action against those found guilty of sex abuse, according to The Telegraph.

"The Church cannot afford not to take these cases seriously. They may be stray cases but they are doing great harm to the image of the Church," the source was quoted saying.

A recent case of sexual abuse that baffled the Indian Church is that of Father J.P. Jeyapaul who allegedly abused a teenage girl while working in Crookston diocese in the US.

The accused priest returned to India in 2007 and continued to serve in the Diocese of Ootacamund. A Minnesota prosecutor is asking Pope Benedict XVI to help get the Indian priest back to the US to face sexual assault charges.

Bishop Fr. Amulraj of the Diocese earlier told reporters that the matter is being referred to the CBCI and a decision in the case will soon be taken.

Archbishop of Madras Rev Fr M Chinnappa said he has spoken to the Bishop of Ootacamund and asked to take necessary action against the priest. Rev. Chinnappa said Jeyapaul must return to the US if necessary for further investigations.