Focus on Catholic Church and child abuse

ROYAL COMMISSION FOCUSES ON WIDESPREAD CATHOLIC CHILD ABUSE:

1. 15th and final public hearing on Catholic Church
2. Set down for three weeks and one day
3. To release world-first data on extent of child sex abuse claims known to the church
4. Looking at broader issues, not individual events
5. Giving evidence: Archbishops, bishops and leaders of religious orders and institutes, academics, canon lawyers and experts on particular aspects of the church
6. Looking at: Current child protection policies and procedures including responding to abuse allegations; what may have contributed to abuse occurring in the church and Catholic authorities' responses; what the church has learned from royal commission's inquiries
7. Issues include: Church structure and role of the Vatican; canon law; clericalism; mandatory celibacy; selection, screening, training and ongoing formation of candidates for priesthood and religious life; support for and supervision or working priests and religious; operation of sacrament of confession
8. Abuse in Catholic institutions reported by 40 per cent of the 6000 survivors who have had private sessions with the commissioners.