The Vatican’s child protection commission issued its annual report on Thursday, criticizing senior Catholic leaders for delays in supporting victims of clergy sexual abuse and implementing global safeguarding measures. Over the years, the Catholic Church, with 1.4 billion members, has faced scandals worldwide involving abuse and cover-ups, tarnishing its reputation and resulting in substantial financial settlements.
The report highlighted church leaders’ failure to keep victims informed about the progress of abuse reports or disciplinary actions against negligent bishops. It also noted that the commission’s requests for information on safeguarding protocols were often unanswered, with the Italian church providing incomplete details.
The report expressed concerns that the church’s responses to victims often included inadequate settlements, symbolic gestures, and a lack of genuine engagement. Established by the late Pope Francis in 2014, the Vatican commission has faced resignations from members and only released its first annual report last year.
Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected pontiff succeeding Francis, has met with commission members and appointed Archbishop Thibault Verny of France as the group’s new president. The latest 103-page report, covering 2024, focuses on reparations for abuse victims and evaluates safeguarding efforts in 22 countries and a key Vatican department.
The report criticized the Dicastery for Evangelization, responsible for overseeing church operations in developing countries, for having limited staff dedicated to safeguarding issues and lacking clear coordination with other Vatican departments. Italy’s bishops were faulted for poor collaboration with the commission, with only 81 out of 226 dioceses responding to a safeguarding questionnaire, unlike South Korea, which had full participation.
The report highlighted the lack of transparency in the Vatican regarding the removal of bishops linked to abuse or cover-ups. It urged public disclosure of reasons behind bishops’ resignations or removals related to abuse or negligence. Moreover, it noted insufficient resources in parts of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia for supporting abuse survivors.
Francis’s efforts to establish a global reporting system for abuse suspicions and advocate for a zero-tolerance policy on accused priests were acknowledged, but calls for more decisive actions persist. Victims frequently raised concerns about the lack of accountability for church leaders, emphasizing the need for transparent communication in cases of resignations or removals linked to abuse or negligence.
