Catholic Church authorities' response of denial, silence and cover-ups in the past had only exacerbated the problem.

The Vatican's leading investigator of clergy abuse cases has made it clear that if a priest stands accused of sexually abusing a child "whether it's criminal or malicious complicity and a code of silence or whether it is denial," such reactions are no longer tolerable.

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna of Malta, Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and a member of the Organizing Committee for the Protection of Minors in the Church Meeting was speaking to reporters Feb. 18 regarding the meeting that will take place in the Vatican Feb. 21-24. Read more