The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has launched a new database, “Conclave Watch,” designed to assess how Cardinals have handled sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church.
The initiative aims to put the issue of clergy abuse at the forefront of the selection of the next pope.
SNAP describes the database as a groundbreaking effort, marking the first time any organisation has compiled such information on papal candidates.
The database evaluates Cardinals' records regarding abuse cases using publicly available documents, evidence from victims, and testimonies from church whistleblowers worldwide.
The group's board members traveled to Rome three weeks ago after Pope Francis was hospitalised with double pneumonia, prompting speculation that a papal conclave might be imminent. However, the Pope has since recovered and returned to the Vatican earlier this week.
“Many people have asked me, ‘Why now? The pope is sick. Now is not the time,’” said Shawn Dougherty, SNAP’s board president and a survivor from Pennsylvania, during a news conference, reports The Associated Press. “We determined if not now, when, and if not us, who?”
The database, set to go live soon, will feature an initial list of six Cardinals, five of whom were selected for their roles in overseeing the handling of clergy abuse cases.
Additional Cardinals will be added as the database evolves, functioning as a vetting tool for potential papal contenders based on their records in dealing with sexual abuse within the Church.
The criteria for inclusion will include whether Cardinals have been involved in covering up abuse cases and their stance on a zero-tolerance law that SNAP is urging Pope Francis to implement.
The proposed law, drafted with input from canon and civil lawyers as well as human rights experts, calls for the removal of known abusive priests from ministry and holds bishops accountable for covering up abuse.
Currently, the United States is the only country with a policy mandating the immediate removal of priests who have been convicted of sexual offenses.
“It won’t be beneficial to discover that the next pope has a history of covering up sex crimes after he is elected,” said Peter Isely, chair of SNAP’s Global Policy Working Group. “We must do everything we can to ensure that the next pope has not sheltered abusive clergy and that he endorses a universal and binding zero-tolerance reform in canon law.”
SNAP has also sent a letter to Pope Francis urging the adoption of this zero-tolerance law, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the Church’s handling of abuse cases.
