The decisions came at the end of an extraordinary general assembly of the Italian bishops’ conference, held in Rome Nov. 12 -15.
 
The assembly was summoned to approve new translations of the missal, in particular the Our Father and the Gloria in Excelsis prayers. The meeting also included a discussion on new anti-abuse measures that are said to have been in process for quite some time.
 
During the meeting, the Italian bishops decided to establish a “national service for the protection of minors and vulnerable people.”
 
The new body will be given statutes, a regulation, a staff and a panel of experts in advisory roles.
 
According to an Italian bishops’ conference press release, the center will have responsibility to “help start diocesan paths to provide formation for the prevention of abuse.”

The center will also counsel and assist dioceses in canonical and civil lawsuits.
 
In addition to this service, the Italian bishops’ conference made the decision to appoint one or two people per region as reference points for abuse reports. Italy is composed of 20 ecclesiastical regions, and almost all of them gather in regional bishops’ conferences.
 
Those people will undergo specific training, on a regional basis, with the help of the Center for the Protection of Minors at the Gregorian University.
 
Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, president of the Italian bishops’ conference, underscored in a Nov. 15 news conference that the Italian bishops are also committed to improving the procedures to accept candidates to the priesthood.

There will be, he said,  “an accurate psychiatric evaluation” before admitting anyone to the seminary.
 
Cardinal Bassetti also noted that reports of abuse must be “seriously scrutinized. An equitable and just procedure is needed. The reports of survivors must be heard with care and with psychological sensitivity. On the other hand, we must watch out for unjust reports.”