Abuse survivor, several women added to Vatican commission

Pope makes eight new appointments including three members from Asia and Oceania.

Vatican City:  Pope Francis has added members to the new Vatican commission advising him on safeguarding children from sexual abuse, appointing an additional eight people to the commission from diverse global backgrounds and professional experience.

Among the new appointments, which the Vatican announced Wednesday: an English survivor of clergy sexual abuse, a woman religious who serves as the secretary general of an pan-African episcopal conference, and several psychologists and psychotherapists from different parts of the world.

The new appointments raise the total number of members of the commission to 17; eight are women. They also diversify the global spread of the group: seven members come from Europe, two from Latin America, three from Asia and Oceania, two from Africa, and three from the US.

New members announced Wednesday include Peter Saunders, an English survivor of clerical sexual abuse who founded the UK-based National Association for People Abused in Childhood, a group that supports survivors and develops resources to respond to child abuse.

Saunders becomes the second abuse survivor on the commission, joining Marie Collins of Ireland.

Source: National Catholic Reporter