VATICAN CITY (AP) — Italy's Catholic bishops are declaring a new era of transparency and truth about clergy sex abuse, as awareness of the scandal that has convulsed much of the world begins to take hold in a country where it was long ignored.

Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, president of the Italian bishops' conference, said on Thursday that a national advisory group of lay and religious experts is being created to help dioceses educate personnel about protecting children and to help bishops investigate abuse reports.

Italy's bishops have lagged behind their counterparts in some Western countries in confronting clergy sex abuse. Their first guidelines, published in 2014, made clear bishops were under no obligation to report crimes to police.

Pope Francis has summoned bishops from around the world to a February summit on abuse prevention.