Pope reveals team picked to organize anti-pedophilia summit

VATICAN CITY, Holy See - Pope Francis on Friday revealed the organizing team for a special meeting on the protection of children next February, in response to the pedophilia scandals that have rocked the church worldwide.

His hand-picked team are all close associations of the pope: the archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna, Father Hans Zollner, US cardinal Blase Cupich and Indian cardinal Oswald Gracias.

"The February meeting is unprecedented, and one that shows Pope Francis has made the protection of minors a fundamental priority for the Church," said Vatican spokesman Greg Burke.

"This is about keeping children safe from harm worldwide. Pope Francis wants Church leaders to have a full understanding of the devastating impact that clerical sexual abuse has on victims.

The event will run from February 21 to 24.

Two women with senior positions inside the Vatican will also help organize the event and survivors of abuse will also play a role, he said.

"The meeting is primarily one for bishops – and they have much of the responsibility for this grave problem," said Burke.

Burke was speaking a day after a French priest was handed a two-year jail term for abusing children -- and his superior, the former bishop of Orleans, 83-year-old Andre Fort, received a suspended sentence for having covered up the offenses.

The conference is expected to attract 180 participants, including the presidents of 113 episcopal conferences from around the world.

The church has had to contend with a wave of scandals involving pedophile priests which have hit the Catholic faith in countries including Ireland, the United States to Australia. — Agence France-Presse