Composition and Members, Plenary Assembly, Personnel, Working Groups, and
General Norms.
 The first part explains that the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of
Minors is an autonomous institution linked to the Holy See with a public legal
personality and has an advisory function in the service of the Holy Father. The
protection of minors, the text continues, is of the first importance, and
therefore it is the role of the Commission to propose initiatives to the
Pontiff, following the modalities indicated in the Statutes, to promote the
responsibility of the particular Churches in the protection of all minors and
vulnerable adults. These proposals will have to receive prior approval by the
majority of two thirds of the members of the Commission. For the elaboration of
the proposals, when the matter falls within the competence of other ecclesial
bodies, the president of the Commission, with the assistance of the secretary,
will consult the competent entities for the protection of minors in the
particular Churches, the episcopal conferences, the conferences of the
Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as
the dicastery of the Roman Curia competent in the matter. This consultation
will
take place in a transparent manner with the members of the Commission, based in
Vatican City State.
 The Commission, according to the second part, is composed of a maximum of
eighteen members appointed by the Holy Father for a three-year period, which
may
be reconfirmed, and are selected from persons of recognised competence in
various areas linked to the activity entrusted to the Commission. Both the
president and the secretary are appointed from among the members by the Holy
Father for a period of three years, a mandate that may be reconfirmed.
 The plenary assembly, as explained in the third part, will be convoked twice
yearly. Upon request by two thirds of the Members and with the consent of the
president, an extraordinary plenary assembly may be convoked. For the plenary
assembly to be considered valid, at least two thirds of the members must be
present; they may participate via video conference.
 The members of the Commission, the personnel and the collaborators with the
working groups, according to the final part, are required to observe the norms
of professional secrecy regarding the news and information they become aware of
in the exercise of their tasks and functions.

___________________________________________________________

 Publication of the Chirograph by which Pope Francis instituted the Pontifical
Commission for the Protection of Minors
 Vatican City, 8 May 2015 (VIS) - To complete the publication of the Statutes,
the Chirograph by which the Pope instituted the Pontifical Commission for the
Protection of Minors on 22 March 2014 was also published today.
 "The effective protection of minors and a commitment to ensure their human and
spiritual development, in keeping with the dignity of the human person, are
integral parts of the Gospel message that the Church and all members of the
faithful are called to spread throughout the world. Many painful actions have
caused a profound examination of conscience for the entire Church, leading us
to
request forgiveness from the victims and from our society for the harm that has
been caused. This response to these actions is the firm beginning for
initiatives of many different types, which are intended to repair the damage,
to
attain justice, and to prevent, by all means possible, the recurrence of
similar
incidents in the future.
 For these reasons, and after having received the counsel of many cardinals and
members of the college of bishops, together with other collaborators and
experts
in these matters, I decided to continue the work begun by my Predecessors by
establishing a permanent Commission attached to the Holy See. The aim of the
Commission is to promote the protection of the dignity of minors and vulnerable
adults, using the forms and methods, consonant with the nature of the Church,
which they consider most appropriate, as well as through their cooperation with
individuals and groups pursuing these same objectives.
 As I had the opportunity to highlight during an encounter with several victims
of sexual abuse, I rely on the members of this Commission for the effective
protection of minors and vulnerable adults, regardless of religion they
profess,
because they are the little ones on whom the Lord looks with love. To my
collaborators in this work, I ask for all efforts possible to assist me in
responding to these needs of these little ones.
 The Commission's specific task is to propose to me the most opportune
initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults, in order that we may
do
everything possible to ensure that crimes such as those which have occurred are
no longer repeated in the Church. The Commission is to promote local
responsibility in the particular Churches, uniting their efforts to those of
the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the protection of all children
and vulnerable adults.
 It is for all these reasons that I have instituted the Pontifical Commission
for the Protection of Minors.
 All that is established with the present Chirograph has full and stable
effect,
anything to the contrary not notwithstanding, even if deserving of special
mention".

___________________________________________________________

 The Pope meets with a group of evangelical pastors
 Vatican City, 8 May 2015 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father received
in private a group of around one hundred Pentecostal evangelical pastors from
various parts of the world, who had expressed their wish to meet him. The group
was led by Pastor Giovanni Traettino, whose community the Pope visited in
Caserta last year. The meeting took place in the room adjacent to the Paul VI
Hall and was characterised by lively cordiality and a spirit of prayer for
unity. The Holy Father was accompanied by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the
Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.

___________________________________________________________

 Audiences
 Vatican City, 8 May 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy;
 - Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., emeritus secretary of State;
 - Cardinal Franc Rode, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Institutes
of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life;
 - Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for the
Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

___________________________________________________________

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www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

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Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
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