Lay member quietly resigned from papal abuse commission

September 19, 2016

A 2nd lay member has left the special papal commission on sexual abuse, the National Catholic Reporter has disclosed.

Claudio Papale, a canon-law professor at the Pontifical Urbaniana, has resigned from the papal commission for personal reasons. "The commission sees no need for further comment out of respect for his privacy," a spokesman said.

Last year Peter Saunders, a former abuse victim who had been critical of Church policy in his public statements, was placed on an indefinite leave of absence from the group. Saunders said that he had refused to resign from the commission. 

 

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Further information:

• Another appointee to Vatican abuse commission leaves group, member reveals (National Catholic Reporter)
• Outspoken member removed from Pope's sex-abuse commission (CWN, 2/18)