Vatican City: The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has released its Second Annual Report on Safeguarding Policies in the Catholic Church, unveiling a comprehensive roadmap to address abuse within Church structures through restorative measures, transparency, and stronger institutional accountability. The report, published on Thursday, highlights the need for “informed listening,” public acceptance of responsibility, and simplified reporting mechanisms anchored in compassion, justice, and long-term healing for survivors.
The report, described as an operational vademecum, draws extensively on consultations with survivors of abuse, offering practical guidelines for Church institutions worldwide. At its heart lies a clear call for restorative measures a process that begins with “informed listening” and includes access to case information, financial compensation, and long-term psychological and spiritual support for victims.
Archbishop Thibault Verny, President of the Pontifical Commission appointed by Pope Francis in July described the mission as a “perpetual pilgrimage” toward justice and renewal. He stressed that healing requires more than policy; it demands personal accountability and collective conversion.
As in its first report, the document was shaped by input from survivors forming part of the Commission’s Annual Report Focus Group, representing a diverse mix of age, gender, and global regions. In addition to ecclesial consultations, the report incorporates data from non-ecclesial organizations a significant step toward bridging Church and civil society in confronting abuse.
The findings underline two critical challenges: the need for a listening Church and the absence of clear whistleblowing structures in many dioceses and religious institutions.
The first section of the report details a structured process of reparation. It calls for the creation of “safe spaces” for victims to share their experiences, direct engagement with Church authorities, and a commitment to acknowledge harm through public statements of accountability.
Quoting the Encyclical Dilexit nos, the report redefines reparation as “not merely an individual duty but a shared responsibility of the entire community,” excluding only the victims themselves. This community-wide participation, it argues, fosters mutual respect and helps rebuild trust.
The Commission emphasizes that victims must receive multi-dimensional support including professional counseling, spiritual accompaniment, and financial assistance for medical and psychological care. It also calls for firm sanctions against those found guilty of abuse or those who enabled it through negligence.
“No victim should live in uncertainty about whether justice will be served,” the report insists, urging dioceses to provide clear updates on the accountability process.
Transparency, the report notes, is a cornerstone of restoration. Victims should have access to their case files, and Church authorities should make public statements acknowledging institutional failures.
To enhance credibility, the Commission proposes simplified procedures for removing Church leaders implicated in cover-ups, accompanied by clear communication about the reasons for such removals.
Additionally, the report recommends forming an international academic network involving Catholic universities with expertise in human rights and abuse prevention to centralize data collection, promote research, and strengthen local safeguarding policies.
The Commission calls for a mandatory global reporting mechanism within all dioceses, emphasizing that institutional accountability must become integral to the Church’s governance. This aligns with Pope Francis’ insistence on “a reliable account of what is happening and what still needs to change.”
The report reaffirms the key role of Apostolic Nuncios, urging them to serve as mentors and monitors in safeguarding practices across local Churches.
The 2025 report reviews safeguarding activities in dioceses across Italy, Africa, Europe, and Asia, including Gabon, Japan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa.
In Italy, for example, the report notes significant progress citing 16 regional safeguarding offices, 226 diocesan and interdiocesan services, and 108 listening centers. Yet, it highlights the absence of a centralized national office for managing abuse reports, leading to regional inconsistencies.
Globally, while some dioceses particularly in the Americas and Oceania demonstrate commendable commitment to victim accompaniment, others still rely heavily on financial settlements rather than holistic healing.
The report praises several positive initiatives worldwide:
• Hu Louifi, a traditional community healing model in Tonga.
• The annual report on victim services in the United States.
• Safeguarding reforms in Kenya, Malawi, and Ghana.
• The truth-finding initiative “The Courage to Look” in Italy’s Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone.
A notable highlight is the progress of the Memorare Initiative, launched in 2022 to fund safeguarding projects in resource-limited regions. So far, 20 agreements have been signed, with more underway in countries such as Rwanda, Honduras, Mexico, Malawi, Paraguay, Tonga, and Zimbabwe.
The initiative channels funds from episcopal conferences, religious orders, and philanthropic foundations to train safeguarding personnel and provide trauma support.
In conclusion, the Pontifical Commission’s report envisions a Church that listens, repairs, and reforms. It calls on bishops, clergy, and lay leaders to cultivate a “ministry of safeguarding” that integrates justice with mercy.
“The wounds of abuse will not heal through silence,” Archbishop Verny wrote. “Only through truth, humility, and shared responsibility can the Church once again be a safe home for all especially the most vulnerable.”