MANCHESTER, England (CNS): A committee set up by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales to review child protection procedures has recommended police checks on all clergy, staff and volunteers within the Church.
Among the 50 recommendations, the independent committee suggested that the Catholic Church set up a national database on candidates for the priesthood and a national child protection unit within the Church to provide support, advice and information at a national level.
The committee, set up to review current child protection procedures, released its initial findings on April 17.
Chaired by a retired judge, Lord Nolan of Brasted, the independent group included specialists in social work, probation and psychiatry, and a senior London police officer.
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, launched the review in September after admitting “inadequate procedures” had led to errors.
He said the report was “extremely constructive and helpful” and would form a major item for discussion by the bishops of England and Wales at their meeting held last week.
