The cardinal already serves as president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

The New York archdiocese's program lets people take claims to a noted outside mediator while keeping painful details private.

Pope Francis on Monday named Bishop Michael Jude Byrnes, the auxiliary bishop of Detroit, as the new leader of the Guam archdiocese.

Australian police questioned Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, in Rome regarding accusations of sexual abuse. Cardinal Pell was "voluntarily interviewed" by Victoria police in late October, said a statement on Oct. 26 from the cardinal's office.

Allegations surfaced in July in a report by Australia's ABC featuring several people who accused Cardinal Pell of sexual assault.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York said on Oct. 6 that it has created a compensation program for people who were sexually abused by priests or deacons.