Vatican approves policy on sex abuse in clergy. The Vatican gave its approval Monday to the revised U.S. bishops' policy to combat sex abuse in the clergy, declaring the need to restore the image of the priesthood in a scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church. The policy allows bishops to conduct a confidential, preliminary inquiry when a molestation claim is made to determine whether it is plausible. If it is, the accused priest is to be put on leave and then must go before a clerical tribunal to determine his guilt or innocence.