(ZENIT News / Vatican City , 29.10.2024).- On October 29, 2024, at a crucial time for the Catholic Church, the Holy See presented the first Annual Report on policies for the protection of minors, a document that marks a milestone in the Church’s response to the crisis of abuse that has shaken her in recent decades. Produced by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Report intends to offer a critical evaluation of the progress and challenges of the Church in this area. There were outstanding figures among the speakers, such as Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the Commission’s President, and renown Dutch jurist Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, responsible for the Report.
This inaugural Report is configured as a tool for rendering accounts and transparency, driven by the direct mandate of Pope Francis, who has made it clear that the protection of minors is a central priority of his pontificate. In a significant reform of the Roman Curia, the Holy Father established the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to work in close collaboration with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the commitment to inform the Pontiff directly.
Safeguards in the Church: A Path of Learning and Change
This pioneer Report, divided in four sections, examines the policies of several local Churches, and the efficacy of the Curia in the safeguarding and collaboration of the Church in the social realm. From its first pages, the document traces a fundamental transformation in the Church: progress towards greater responsibility and transparency. In Cardinal O’Malley’s words, the Commission acts with a clear mandate to “include and acknowledge the victims and survivors of abuses in the life of the Church.” The Cardinal denounced firmly the period in which the Church responded ineffectively to the abuses, describing that stage as “dark” and pointing out that, fortunately, progress is being made towards a new era where listening and responding to victims has become a priority.
Through endeavours such as the Memorare Initiative, the Commission intends not only to revise the Church’s safeguarding policies, but to promote constant improvement in the training of individuals involved in the ministry of child protection. Cardinal O’Malley pointed out that, the presentation of this first Annual Report is part of a continuous cycle of evaluation and improvement that intends to generate a significant change in the Church’s culture.
Global Focus: Inequalities in Protection and Lack of Data
Although in various countries the Church has implemented strict guidelines, which have drastically reduced cases of abuse, the Report reveals that this “learning curve” has not happened in other parts of the world. The Commission emphasizes especially the shortcomings in the Global South, where the lack of resources and data limits progress in safeguarding. Mexico, among others, is an example of this reality. The lack of detailed statistics in many regions hinders an in-depth analysis and the effective implementation of protection protocols that, according to the Commission, requires greater investment in infrastructure to guarantee the rendering of accounts.
Maud de Boer Buquicchio, former UN Special Rapporteur on sexual exploitation, highlighted that the focus of the Report is based on human rights and is centered on the victims, a perspective that intends to put the dignity of persons at the center of the Church’s mission. “The clamour for justice has been ignored for too long,” said Buquicchio, stressing that the Church must respond to this call with forceful actions.
Challenges and Commitments for The Future
Despite being an innovative tool, the Commission acknowledges that the Annual Report is a first step in a process of change and that it will have to be strengthened in future editions. Buquicchio anticipated that the next Report will focus on aspects of reparation for the victims, highlighting that psychological and social accompaniment is essential to promote a real and lasting recovery.
The Report also points out that extensive work is necessary to involve more deeply religious and lay people in the safeguarding of minors, as it is intended that these groups should play an active role in the vigilance and support of the protection protocols. Moreover, the Commission acknowledged the need to improve the verification of data through cross-reference with outside sources, in order to offer ever more exhaustive and reliable Reports.
Reflections on Celibacy and Prevention of Abuses
As regards questions, the Commission also addressed a controversial topic: the relation between priestly celibacy and abuses. Buquicchio refuted any direct link, stressing that abuses are not about adult relationships but grave crimes against minors. According to her, to insinuate a connection between celibacy and these criminal acts is to divert attention from the true nature of these crimes, which call for a judicial response and a specialized psychological approach.
Cardinal O’Malley supported this position, pointing out that the question of celibacy has no demonstrable connection with abuse, according to available studies. Hence, the Commission reaffirms its focus on the protection of minors through robust reporting systems, formation in the management of risks and strengthening of a safe environment for all.
Hope in Transparency and Responsibility
Juan Carlos Cruz, member of the Commission and survivor of abuses, said he never thought the day would come in which the Church would be able to address this subject with such frankness. “We are using words that before weren’t said: ‘truth’, ‘justice’ and ‘reparation’”. Cruz thanked Pope Francis for his sincere commitment to the fight against abuses and stressed that the Report is a big first step towards a more transparent Church.
With this Report, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors not only fulfils the Pope’s request, but also gives a message to the entire Church: the path towards a true transformation requires confronting the past and working firmly to protect the most vulnerable.
See the Report in English here
