Pope Picks Cardinal Cupich To Help With Abuse Prevention Summit

CHICAGO — Pope Francis has chosen Cardinal Blase Cupich to help plan an upcoming sexual abuse prevention summit, the Vatican announced Friday. The four-day summit, which will be held in February, will focus on fighting sexual abuse by clergy around the world. Abuse survivors and women working at the Vatican will also be in the meeting's organizing committee.

In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis has also named the following committee organizers:

"Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay (India) and President of the Bishops’ Conference of India; the Most Reverend Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; and the Reverend Hans Zollner, S.J., President of the Centre for the Protection of Minors at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, whom he has named contact person for the committee."

The announcement comes after the Vatican told bishops in the United States earlier this month not to vote on proposed new measures to investigate sexual abuse or cover-up cases.

The Vatican hasn't explained why the vote was blocked; however, the Catholic News Agency reported that the Vatican wanted to delay the vote until the February summit is held.

In a blog post, Cupich said the pope is "calling for radical reform in the life of the church, for he understands that this crisis is about the abuse of power and a culture of protection and privilege, which have created a climate of secrecy, without accountability for misdeeds."

Cupich said "all that has to end."

In a statement, Papal spokesman Greg Burke called the February meeting "unprecedented," and said that it "shows Pope Francis has made the protection of minors a fundamental priority for the Church."

The meeting is about "keeping children safe from harm worldwide," he said.

The summit will be held in the Vatican from February 21 to 24.

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