Catholic dioceses will hear abuse allegations

Spain’s Catholic Church will set up local commissions to hear complaints from victims of abuse after holding talks in Rome with Pope Francis on Friday about allegations over eight decades detailed in a Spanish newspaper.

El País in December published a three-year investigation that it said uncovered potential abuse by 251 priests and some laypeople from religious institutions against at least 1,237 victims from 1943 to 2018.

It said its correspondent gave a 385-page dossier to the pope on Dec. 2 while the papal entourage and journalists were flying from Rome to Cyprus. Cardinal Juan José Omella, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, discussed sex abuse issues with Francis at the Vatican and said each diocese would set up a commission to receive accusations and then investigate.

The Spanish church has rejected suggestions it set up an independent investigation body as has been done in France.