The Roman Catholic Church is being urged to spearhead the fight against child abuse in the final report of an inquiry into paedophile priests.
The Nolan report, headed by former Law Lord Lord Nolan, makes 83 recommendations in its report A Programme For Action.
These include creating a national database to vet candidates for the priesthood and checks with the new Criminal Record Bureau.
Every Catholic parish would also be obliged to appoint a child protection representative with a child protection co-ordinator for all dioceses, religious orders and seminaries.
Lord Nolan said: "Our overriding aim has been to create a secure environment for children.
"Our approach has been to identify best child protection practice and, wherever possible, apply it to the policies and procedures of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
"Child abuse is a great evil and we believe the Church should be an example of excellence in rooting it out."
The review was set up in response to a series of damaging revelations involving paedophile priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
Between 1995 and 1999, 21 out of the 5,600 Catholic priests in England and Wales were convicted of child abuse.