Survivors of clergy sexual abuse urged the Vatican on Monday to expand its zero-tolerance policy that it approved for the U.S. Catholic Church in 2002 to the rest of the world, arguing that children everywhere should be protected from predator priests.

"Despite Pope Francis' repeated calls for zero tolerance on abuse, his words have yet to lead to any real action," said Gemma Hickey, a transgender survivor and president of the global survivor network Ending Clergy Abuse. Survivors contend that the U.S ...

A former top Vatican official who dealt with clergy sexual abuse issues joined victims on Monday in urging Pope Francis to enact a zero-tolerance law throughout the global Catholic church so any cleric found guilty of abuse would be removed from ministry.