Free Republic

Pope Francis ends automatic dismissal of religious-order priests for [sexual] abuseLess than a year after he strengthened the Code of Canon Law’s section on crimes, Pope Francis has issued an apostolic constitution motu proprio (on his own initiative) that alters the wording of one of the canons.As a result of the alteration, religious-order priests who sexually abuse minors and other vulnerable persons, or who commit canonical crimes related to child pornography, will no longer be automatically dismissed from their religious institutes.In addition, religious-order priests who “force someone to perform or submit to sexual acts” will no longer be automatically dismissed...