Jul 02 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)
Pope names new chief to handle sex abuse cases
Vatican City:
AP
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Pope Francis declined on Saturday to renew the mandate of the Vatican's conservative doctrine chief, Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, tapping instead a deputy to lead the powerful congregation that handles sex abuse cases and guarantees Catholic orthodoxy around the world.Mueller's five-year term ends this weekend and he turns 70 in December. The normal retirement age for bishops is 75.Francis and Mueller have clashed over the pope's opening to allowing civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Mueller has insisted they cannot, given teaching on indissolubility of marriage.
The pope tapped the No. 2 in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Jesuit Monsignor Luis Ferrer, to succeed Mueller. It was the second major shakeup this week, after Francis granted Cardinal George Pell a leave of absence to return to Australia to face trial on sexual assault charges.
During Mueller's tenure the sex abuse caseload piled up as more and more victims came forward from Latin America, Europe. Last year, Francis confirmed there was a 2,000-case backlog, and he set about naming officials in the congregation's discipline section to process the load.
The pope tapped the No. 2 in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Jesuit Monsignor Luis Ferrer, to succeed Mueller. It was the second major shakeup this week, after Francis granted Cardinal George Pell a leave of absence to return to Australia to face trial on sexual assault charges.
During Mueller's tenure the sex abuse caseload piled up as more and more victims came forward from Latin America, Europe. Last year, Francis confirmed there was a 2,000-case backlog, and he set about naming officials in the congregation's discipline section to process the load.
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