The Vatican has announced the institution of a special college within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that will study the appeals for “serious offences,” including those of child abuse and abuses of the Sacrament of Penance.
While the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith judges all offences, the special college will help streamline the appeals process in order to better investigate serious matters. According to the Holy See Press Office, the college was created due to the high number of appeals and growing concerns that accused priests weren’t given sufficient opportunities to defend themselves.
The college will be composed of seven cardinals or bishops who may either be members of the Congregation or outside of it. The only member that has been named by the Pope so far is Archbishop Jose Luis Mollaghan, the former archbishop of Rosario, Argentina.
“Should the offender be of episcopal dignity,” the decree stated, “his appeal shall be examined by the [Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith], which will also be able to decide specific cases according to the Pope’s judgement.”
The special college will also report periodically on appeal cases to the Congregation.
