Italian police have arrested 18 people, including a mayor, doctors and social workers, for allegedly brainwashing vulnerable children into thinking their parents had abused them so they could then be sold to foster parents.
Previously the third-most powerful man in the Catholic Church, Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty of sexually abusing children in a historic case.
Pope Francis vowed that the
Catholic Church will never again treat abuse allegations without "seriousness and promptness", calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police.
A Vatican commission on child protection set up by Pope Francis said Sunday that the fight against abuse must be the priority of the Catholic Church and emphasised the importance of listening to victims.
The Vatican dismissed a Chilean deacon over sexual abuse accusations in central Chile, the archdiocese of the city of Rancagua said Friday, amid a widespread abuse scandal gripping the country's Catholic Church.
Up to 50 witnesses could be called to a hearing in March to determine if there is enough evidence for Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on sex abuse charges, a court heard on Friday.
Four people, who were part of a religious community, have been arrested in the Sicilian city of Catania for alleged sexual assault and violence against children.
Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell, a top advisor to Pope Francis, denied all charges of historical sexual abuse on Wednesday at his first appearance in an Australian court over the
allegations.
A former paedophilia victim has left the Vatican advisory commission on sexual abuse by the clergy, the Vatican announced Saturday, two days after the British campaigner criticized the body in the press.
An Italian diplomat detained in the Philippines on child abuse charges insisted he was innocent and applied for bail on Wednesday, as he appeared before a court in deteriorating health.
An Italian diplomat detained in the Philippines for alleged child abuse will be allowed to leave prison briefly to undergo medical treatment, a government prosecutor said on Wednesday.
The Vatican on Friday criticized a damning UN report on the Catholic Church's handling of child sex abuse cases, saying it had "grave limits" and accusing UN committee members of following "prejudiced" views.
The UN's damning report on the Vatican's handling of child sex abuse cases has turned up the pressure on the Catholic Church to convince a sceptical international community it has adopted a zero-tolerance approach.
The Vatican said on Wednesday that it would study a damning UN report accusing it of failing to stamp out child abuse, but slammed criticism of its religious teachings as "interference".
The Catholic Church and Pope Francis have "refused to take action that will protect children", the president of a network for abuse victims has said in response to a damning UN report blasting the Vatican's failure to stamp out child abuse.
The Vatican must remove all child sexual abusers from their posts and turn them over to the police, the United Nations children's rights watchdog said on Wednesday.
The Vatican insisted on Thursday it is committed to stamping out sexual abuse by the clergy, as top Church officials were grilled before the UN's child rights watchdog.
Italy's highest court has overturned the conviction of a 60-year-old man for having sex with an 11-year-old girl, because the verdict failed to take into account their "amorous relationship".
Pope Francis is setting up a special commission to advise the Catholic Church on how it can better protect children and help those who have suffered sexual abuse by priests, the Vatican announced on Thursday.
