Vatican publishes first report on Church safeguarding efforts

Nov 08, 2024

VATICAN: Ten years since its establishment, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors releases a report compiled by a dedicated study group that conducted extensive research across five continents from Africa to Oceania. The report identifies progress in best practices as well as steps to be taken, calls for increased transparency in data collection, and highlights imbalances in local Churches regarding the availability of reporting structures and support services for victims.

The 50-page Annual Report on Church Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is the first in an annual series that aims to provide analysis of safeguarding measures in dioceses, Catholic organisations, and religious orders globally over the next five to six years.

Released on October 29, the inaugural report found that “a significant part of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia have inadequate dedicated resources” available for safeguarding efforts.

The pontifical commission also identified a “persistent concern regarding the transparency in the Roman Curia’s procedures and juridical processes,” noting that this lack of transparency is likely to “foment distrust among the faithful, especially the victim/survivor community.”

It pointed to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) in particular for its slow processing of cases and lengthy canonical proceedings, which it said can be a “source of retraumatisation for victims.”

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has been a part of the DDF since Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia in 2022, yet the commission has frequently underlined its independence from the dicastery.

The commission also called for a dedicated advocate or ombudsman in the Vatican to assist victims and advocated for further study on compensation policies.

The report is not an audit of abuse incidents within the Church but rather a review of safeguarding policies and procedures. The commission indicated that future reports could evolve to include an audit function on the incidence of abuse, including measuring progress in reducing and preventing abuse.

The commission’s pilot report evaluated diocesan safeguarding practices in a dozen countries, including Mexico, Belgium, Cameroon, and Papua New Guinea, as well as two religious orders and across Caritas’ regional offices.

The commission’s findings varied across regions. While parts of Europe displayed advanced safeguarding practices, including trauma-informed support, regions such as Central and South America, Africa, and parts of Asia face significant challenges due to limited resources and inadequate training.

The commission cited critical obstacles, from cultural and financial barriers to shortages of trained personnel in areas like canon law and psychology.

In Papua New Guinea, funding constraints restrict training for safeguarding experts, and prohibitively expensive rape kits limit the ability to gather evidence for criminal investigations. A similar lack of trained experts in canon law and psychology impedes the work of Church safeguarding offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zambia, meanwhile, faces cultural obstacles, such as a “patriarchal society” and “a culture of silence,” which prevent survivors, particularly young girls, from reporting abuse.

In Mexico, cultural barriers to reporting abuse also pose a significant hurdle to justice, according to the report.

In response to gaps in safeguarding resources, particularly in developing regions, the commission introduced the “Memorare Initiative,” inspired by a traditional prayer to the Virgin Mary. This programme aims to support the establishment of centres for abuse reporting and victim services in the Global South.

Other recommendations included streamlined procedures for removing Church leaders implicated in abuse or cover-ups, as well as policies promoting fair compensation for victims.

The report also suggested that the Vatican collaborate with pontifical universities to create specialised courses of study on safeguarding for clergy and Church workers.

The annual report also presents case studies on Caritas organisations: 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 Commission also 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. Looking ahead, the commission plans to review between 15 and 20 bishops’ conferences per year during ad limina visits, with the goal of examining the entire Church over five to six years.

Pope Francis requested the commission to create the report in 2022. Cardinal Seán O’Malley, who has led the commission since it was established by Francis in 2014, emphasised that the annual reports are intended as both a tool for accountability and a step toward restoring trust in the Church’s commitment to safeguarding and transparency. --CNA/Vatican News