Vatican to issue new sex abuse guidelines for bishops

The Vatican will issue a new document for bishops next week on dealing with cases of sexual abuse of children by priests

The letter, due Monday from the Vatican watchdog responsible for disciplining clergy, is designed to help bishops worldwide to prepare guidelines for abuse cases, the Vatican said.

The missive will be published in Italian, French, Spanish, English, German, Portuguese and Polish, according to the Vatican.

The head of the Vatican's disciplinary watchdog the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal William Levada, had announced in November 2010 that the document was being prepared.

The letter would include "directives" relating to the "reception of victims", working with civil authorities, protecting children and the training of future priests, Levada said.

The Vatican is under pressure to produce the guidelines at the request of a US civil court which is examining the Holy See's role as "employer" in the case of a priest accused of child sex abuse.

Hundreds of cases have also come to light in US and in several other European countries including Austria, Germany, Italy and Belgium.

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