Safeguarding Minors: First Report calls for ‘rigorous’ response

By Salvatore Cernuzio

“I would like you, on an annual basis, to prepare for me a report on the Church’s initiatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. This might be difficult at the beginning, but I ask you to begin where necessary, in order to furnish a reliable account on what is presently being done and what needs to change, so that the competent authorities can act.”

Responding to this request made by Pope Francis, in his address to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, at the end of its Plenary in April 2022, the Commission – established by the Pope in 2014 to propose the most appropriate initiatives for preventing abuse within the Church – has responded to the Pope’s call and today, October 29, publishes its first Annual Report on Church Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding.

The report, approximately 50 pages in length and divided into four sections, gathers numerous data from across the continents, as well as from various religious institutes, congregations, and even the Roman Curia, which is encouraged to pursue greater transparency regarding its procedures and processes.

Victims’ pain and healing

The document was prepared by a working group led by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, a member of the Commission with extensive experience in child protection. Its cover features a baobab tree. It is a symbol of “resilience” that reflects the resilience shown by thousands of victims in speaking out and striving to make the Church a safer place, while also working to regain the trust lost due to these crimes. The entire Commission’s work and the Report itself are centred on the victims, their suffering, and their healing.

Risks and progress

The Report aims to promote the Church’s commitment to provide a “rigorous” response to the scourge of abuse, grounded in human rights and victim-centred, in line with recent reforms to Canon Law’s Book VI, which condemns abuse as a violation of human dignity. The document highlights both risks and progress in the Church’s efforts to protect children, gathering resources and best practices to share across the universal Church. It serves as a tool for the Commission to systematically report findings and recommendations to the Pope, victims, local Churches, and the People of God.

Increased access to information

Among the needs identified, the report emphasizes the need for better access for survivors to information to prevent additional trauma. “Measures should be explored that provide the right of any individual to any information relating to him/her,” while respecting data protection laws and requirements, the text states. It also stresses the need for “consolidation and clarity around the jurisdiction held by dicasteries of the Roman Curia, to ensure the efficient, timely, and rigorous management of cases of abuse referred to the Holy See.” It also suggests streamlining processes, “where justified,” for dismissing or removing those in positions of responsibility. The report calls for further development of Church teachings on safeguarding and for studying damage and compensation policies to promote a rigorous approach to reparations. Additionally, it encourages academic opportunities and adequate resources for aspiring safeguarding professionals.

Analysis of local Churches

The second section of the Annual Report shifts focus to local Churches, presenting an analysis of several ecclesial institutions. The Commission acknowledges the importance of accompanying local Church leaders in the responsibility to implement preventive and responsive policies. It also promises “standardised data exchanges with the local bishops and religious superiors,” explaining that the review of safeguarding policies and procedures by bishops occurs through the ad limina process or at the special request of an Episcopal Conference or one of the Commission’s Regional Groups.

The Commission reviews between 15 and 20 local Churches each year, aiming to examine the entire Church over the course of 5-6 Annual Reports. Each report also includes an analysis of selected religious institutes. This year’s Episcopal Conferences include Mexico, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Belgium, and Cameroon. Conferences that had ad limina visits during the period include Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Botswana, e-Swatini, Togo, and Burundi. Religious institutes covered in the report are the Consolata Missionaries (female) and the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (male).

Lack of structures and services

In its analysis of local Churches, the Commission notes that “while some Church entities and Church authorities demonstrate a clear commitment to safeguarding, others are only at the beginning of undertaking the Church’s responsibility” to address abuse. In some cases, the Commission finds a “troubling lack of reporting structures and victim/survivor accompaniment services, as required by the Motu Proprio Vos estis lux mundi.

Imbalances across regions

Data collected within continental regions reveal certain imbalances. While parts of the Americas, Europe, and Oceania benefit from “substantial resources available for safeguarding,” many areas in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia have “inadequate dedicated resources.” The Pontifical Commission considers it essential to “increase solidarity between Episcopal Conferences,” “mobilize resources for a universal standard in safeguarding,” “create centres for victims/survivors reporting and assistance,” to “develop a true culture of safeguarding.”

The Roman Curia

The third section focuses on the Roman Curia, which, as a “network of networks,” can serve as a hub for sharing safeguarding best practices with other local Churches. “The Church,” the Report states, “in advancing her mission to promote human rights in the broader within society, engages an array of populations to which she must ensure proper safeguarding standards.”

Transparency and Information Gathering

The same pontifical body seeks to promote a shared vision and gather reliable information to foster greater transparency in the Curia’s procedures and case law concerning abuse cases. The report notes that the Disciplinary Section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has publicly shared limited statistical information about its activities and calls for increased access to information. Other actions include “communicating safeguarding responsibilities of the various Dicasteries,” “promoting shared standards across the Roman Curia,” and “incorporating trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches to dicasterial work.”

Focus on Caritas

The Annual Report also presents case studies on Caritas organizations: Caritas Internationalis at the universal level, Caritas Oceania at the regional level, Caritas Chile at the national level, and Caritas Nairobi at the diocesan level. The report acknowledges the “great complexity” of Caritas’ mission and recent progress in safeguarding, while also noting “significant variations in safeguarding practices across different institutions,” a matter of concern for the Commission.

The Memorare initiative

The report also highlights the Memorare initiative, which has raised funds over the past ten years from Episcopal Conferences and religious orders to assist Churches with limited resources. Memorare’s goal is to develop reporting and assistance centres, local training competencies, and a network of safeguarding professionals in the Global South. In 2023, the Commission received an initial annual donation of 500,000 euros from the Italian Episcopal Conference (with a total commitment of 1.5 million euros); 35,000 euros from religious orders; and a first annual donation of 100,000 dollars from the Papal Foundation (with a three-year commitment totaling 300,000 dollars). Additionally, the Spanish Episcopal Conference pledged to support projects selected by the Commission, contributing 300,000 dollars per year (totalling 900,000 dollars over three years).