BISHOPS HEAD TO VATICAN FOR SEX ABUSE MEET

Vatican City, Feb. 17: Pope Francis gathers bishops from around the world at the Vatican this week for a hotly-awaited summit on tackling the wave of child sex abuse scandals assailing the Catholic Church.

The heads of around 100 bishops’ conferences from every continent will convene from Thursday to Sunday for the meeting on the protection of minors, with victims’ groups demanding a concrete action plan on fighting paedophilia be drawn up. The Pope asked the bishops to speak to victims of abuse in their countries before the convention. Many victims were also invited to the Vatican. “I ask you to pray for this meeting,” the Pope said adding he wanted it “as an act of strong pastoral responsibility in the face of an urgent challenge of our time.”