New York ? The Archdiocese of New York said it will appoint a committee to investigate sexual abuse allegations against priests and decide whether to report cases to civil authorities.

The new policy is a shift from the archdiocese’s earlier position that allegations would not be reported if victims objected. Church officials now say claims that are deemed to be well-grounded will be reported to authorities regardless of whether the victim consents.

The policy was released Wednesday evening, after the nation’s third-largest archdiocese became the latest to hand over to authorities documents relating to sexual abuse. The Boston Archdiocese, at the center of the scandal, previously agreed to turn over such information to prosecutors, as have dioceses in Cincinnati, New Hampshire and Maine.

In Philadelphia, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua said he would appoint a panel of lay persons to review the archdiocese’s handling of sexual abuse allegations against priests..

New York Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said the new policy, effective next week, “indicates precisely how cases should be handled.”

It puts emphasis on having victims’ complaints and priests’ responses recorded in writing, and it invites both accusers and accused to have lawyers present for interviews with the committee.

Other developments

Thirteen alleged victims of a Massachusetts priest, the late Rev. Joseph Birmingham, joined a lawsuit against the Boston archdiocese and church officials, including Cardinal Bernard Law.

In Ohio, the Diocese of Cleveland said a priest newly accused of molesting a girl in 1980 was found dead of an apparent suicide. Police said the Rev. Don A. Rooney, 48, was found Thursday in his car with an apparent head wound.

A lawyer for the Archdiocese of Atlanta said the archdiocese has responded to six claims in the past 13 years accusing priests of sexually abusing boys.

In Saturday’s Journal-World, Lawrence Catholics upset by abuse allegations.