Pope to Meet Bishops at Vatican to Discuss Sex Abuse Scandal

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(AP)

Quinn Summerville, Reporter

Pope Francis’s advisers released Wednesday that the Pope will soon summon the presidents of every bishops conference for a meeting in February to discuss preventing clergy sex abuse and protecting children.

The Vatican is struggling with multiple claims that the leader of the Catholic Church assisted in the cover up an American cardinal’s sexual misconduct. The Feb. 21-24 meeting at the Vatican is believed to be the first of its kind, according to the Associated Press.

Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who is facing calls to step down over his handling of sex-abuse cases, revealed he will travel to the Vatican to meet with the Pope “very soon” to discuss his proposed resignation — which the cardinal had mentioned over two years ago.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will meet with Francis on Thursday in the Apostolic Palace, along with Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Francis’ top sex abuse adviser.  Two more are involved from the U.S. conference: Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez and Monsignor Brian Bransfield, according to a statement by the Vatican.