By Courtney Mares

Vatican City, 10/29/2024 / 10:00 am

The Vatican on Tuesday issued its first annual report evaluating the Catholic Church’s policies and procedures to prevent abuse in dioceses around the world, from Africa to Oceania.

He 50 page report for him Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is the first in an annual series that aims to provide an analysis of safeguarding measures in dioceses, Catholic organizations and religious orders globally over the next five to six years.

Published 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 transparency in the legal procedures and processes of the Roman Curia,” noting that this lack of transparency is likely to “foster mistrust among the faithful, especially among the community of victims and survivors.” .

He singled out the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) in particular for its slow case processing and lengthy canonical procedures, which he said can be a “source of retraumatization for victims.”

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

The commission also called for a dedicated defender or ombudsman in the Vatican to help victims and advocated for more studies on compensation policies.

The report is not an audit of incidents of abuse 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 assessed diocesan safeguarding practices in a dozen countries, including Mexico, Belgium, Cameroon and Papua New Guinea, as well as two religious orders and across all Caritas regional offices.

The commission’s conclusions varied by region. While parts of Europe showed 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 a shortage of trained staff in areas such as canon law and psychology.

In Papua New Guinea, funding constraints restrict the training of 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 the Church’s safeguarding offices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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

In Mexico, cultural barriers to reporting abuse also represent a major obstacle 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 program aims to support the establishment of abuse reporting centers 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 that promote fair compensation for victims.

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

Looking ahead, the commission plans to review between 15 and 20 episcopal conferences per year during ad limina visits, with the goal of examining the entire Church over five to six years.

Pope Francis asked 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, emphasized that the annual reports are intended to be both a tool for accountability as a step towards restoration. confidence in the Church’s commitment to safeguarding and transparency.

Courtney Mares is the Rome correspondent for the Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news agencies on three continents and received the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees. She is the author of “Blessed Carlo Acutis: a saint in sneakers” (Ignacio, 2023),