Pope strengthens laws against clergy and lay leaders' sexual abuse.

Pope Francis has updated the Church's norms to prevent and counter sexual abuse against minors and vulnerable adults, extending the norms to cover lay leaders of international associations of the faithful recognized by the Holy See. The updated version of the motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi was published on Saturday, and enters into force on 30 April. The most significant change introduced in the new version of the normative text concerns the provisions in "Title II" which lay out the responsibilities of bishops, religious superiors, and clerics in charge of a particular Church or Prelature.