Pope Francis has emphasised the importance of supporting abuse victims amidst growing concerns over the persisting clergy sex abuse scandal within the Catholic Church. During a meeting with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Pope addressed the need for continued efforts in aiding victims. The meeting came as recent events outside the Read more
The Church’s strong anti-abuse protocols are enshrined in law says Jesuit priest Hans Zollner, but they are not being universally applied. “More broadly, the norms adopted by Rome indicate the right direction, but we currently have no mechanism to monitor their implementation.” Zollner, director of the Institute of Anthropology at Rome’s Gregorian University, believes the Read more
In what some call a scathing statement, the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors blasted Church leadership for not delivering on sexual abuse prevention outcomes. The Commission is condemning Church leadership for its glaring failures to prevent abuse. Established by Pope Francis in 2014, the commission has pledged to push church authorities for Read more
The Vatican is inviting New Zealanders to give public feedback to The Vatican’s Child Protection Commission on the Church safeguarding principles. Aimed at creating updated diocesan guidelines, the move opens up the consultation process, historically limited to bishops and church leaders, to a broader base of stakeholders. To collect the feedback, the commission has established Read more
A top anti-abuse expert has highlighted the lack of accountability by the Catholic Church in implementing safeguarding norms established to protect children and vulnerable individuals. While the Church has been praised for its efforts in establishing norms to protect individuals from abuse, “we don’t have a culture of accountability when it comes to the implementation Read more
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is undergoing a significant shift towards a more impact-focused direction, according to Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, the commission’s president. The commission held its plenary assembly in Rome from May 3-6, during which they discussed various topics and made several important decisions. According to the commission’s May Read more
Making reparation to clergy sex abuse survivors is critical, Pope Francis told the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on Friday. “The sexual abuse of minors by clergy and its poor handling by Church leaders has been one of the greatest challenges for the Church in our time. “Now is the time to repair Read more
New Zealand’s National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) looks forward to hearing from either the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (pictured) or the Dicastery for Evangelisation regarding a new sex abuse memorandum. On 21 April the heads of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the Dicastery for Evangelisation signed Read more
The pope’s safeguarding commission must not merely be engaged in “PR”, but become a refuge for those abused by clergy and silenced by the church, says top anti-abuse expert Jesuit Fr Hans Zollner (pictured). As the commission moved into a palace in Rome’s historic centre, Zollner expressed his hope that the commission’s new home will Read more
Fr Hans Zollner has resigned from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Zollner is one of the most respected experts in the Vatican’s fight against clergy sex abuse. He cited disagreements over the way the body is being operated. “I have noticed issues that need to be urgently addressed and that have made Read more