Focus on Catholic Church and child abuse

ROYAL COMMISSION FOCUSES ON WIDESPREAD CATHOLIC CHILD ABUSE:

* 15th and final public hearing on Catholic Church

* Set down for three weeks and one day

* To release world-first data on extent of child sex abuse claims known to the church

* Looking at broader issues, not individual events

* Giving evidence: Archbishops, bishops and leaders of religious orders and institutes, academics, canon lawyers and experts on particular aspects of the church

* Looking at: Current child protection policies and procedures including responding to abuse allegations; what may have contributed to abuse occurring in the church and Catholic authorities' responses; what the church has learned from royal commission's inquiries

* Issues include: Church structure and role of the Vatican; canon law; clericalism; mandatory celibacy; selection, screening, training and ongoing formation of candidates for priesthood and religious life; support for and supervision or working priests and religious; operation of sacrament of confession

* Abuse in Catholic institutions reported by 40 per cent of the 6000 survivors who have had private sessions with the commissioners.