Bishops in Spain ask lawyers to audit their sex abuse record

By ARITZ PARRA
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Roman Catholic bishops have asked a private law firm to investigate past and present sexual abuse committed by clergy, members of religious orders and others associated with the church. The public announcement made Tuesday is a departure from the previous position of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, which for years rejected the idea of taking a comprehensive approach to investigating sex abuse. The law firm’s founder says the inquiry is intended to cover all abuse and is not limited to investigating only cases from within a certain time period. A spokesperson for a sex abuse survivors group in Spain says the inquiry can’t be taken seriously because the Church will dictate its terms.