VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Saturday extended a 2019 law to fight sexual abuse in the Church by making lay Catholic leaders responsible for acts committed under their watch in Vatican-approved bodies.

A letter, directly sent by the pontiff, also said that vulnerable adults could be victims of predator priests. The earlier version had only spoken of minors and vulnerable persons.

“The updated text specifies that ‘the lay faithful who are or have been moderators of international associations of the faithful recognised or created by the Holy See (are responsible) for acts committed’ while they were in office”, the Vatican said in a statement. The new law will enter into force on April 30.

“The document includes, and continues to include, not only abuse and violence against children and vulnerable adults, but also covers sexual violence and harassment resulting from the abuse of authority,” the Vatican said.

The extension comes as Pope Francis, in a rare move, accepted the resignation of the German Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrueck, who acknowledged he made “mistakes” in how he handled sexual abuse in his diocese.

Bode, 72, had been under pressure since the September release of a report by the University of Osnabrueck which accused him of failing to deal with sexual assaults against minors.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023