The Vatican said today that it would issue a letter on Monday to Catholic bishops around the world with "guidelines" on how to deal with cases of paedophile clergy following a long list of scandals.

It will help bishops "prepare guidelines to face cases of paedophilia by members of the clergy", the Vatican's press office said.

William Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, announced in November that the Vatican was working on such a letter.

The letter is expected to be published in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.

But a US victims' group called the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests said the letter "won't be very effective".

"Words on paper don't protect kids. Decisive action protects kids. But decisive action is precisely what the Vatican refuses to take -- either against most predator priests or all complicit bishops," it said.

The Vatican has come under severe pressure in recent years over paedophilia.

A US court has asked the Vatican to produce internal documents in a case in which it was being sued as the "employer" of a paedophile priest.

The Holy See has announced sanctions against a former Canadian bishop, Raymond Lahey, who was found with child pornography on his computer.

But it has been criticised for not meting out harsher punishment to a former Belgian bishop, Roger Vangheluwe, who admitted abusing his nephews.

The scandal of paedophile priests reached high intensity last year with a string of revelations in Belgium, Germany and Ireland.

Some bishops were accused of trying to cover up the scandals.