News
From The Commission
Pope Leo XIV urges bishops to listen to survivors, calling abuse crisis a deep wound in the Church
VATICAN CITY — On 10 January Pope Leo XIV addressed the Cardinals gathered in Consistory and renewed a forceful call for a culture of listening within the Church, saying the sexual abuse crisis remains “a real wound” and that many victims have suffered further harm...
Upcoming European safeguarding webinar to examine high-risk case management
VATICAN CITY — The Commission will host a European-focused webinar later this month examining one of the most complex and sensitive areas of safeguarding practice: the management of high-risk cases involving reassignment and restrictions on the exercise of ministry....
Bishop Ali on The Year Ahead and the Long-haul of Culture Change
The latest episode of the Commission’s Inside Safeguarding Podcast is an extended conversation with Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, a figure recognised for clear teaching on the pastoral imperative...
The Year That Was: 2025 and the Commission
A reflection on 2025, a Year of Jubilee, renewal and reparation in the life of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors’ in its commitment to Safeguarding children and vulnerable people in the Church. ...
Commission’s 2025 Asia–Oceania engagement sees need for practical tools in safeguarding cases
OCEANIA REGION — A year-long programme of formation and regional engagement led by the Commission in Asia and Oceania has highlighted both strong demand for safeguarding training and a continued need for practical, context-sensitive tools to support...
Lourdes Meeting Highlights Progress and Ongoing Challenges in Religious Safeguarding Efforts
LOURDES — Roughly 350 male and female major superiors gathered in Lourdes from 18–22 November for the CORREF General Assembly, a meeting marked by continued efforts to strengthen safeguarding practices within religious life in France. Sr. Tosca...
European Webinar Opens Series on Governance and Independence in Church Safeguarding
The Commission opened its new European safeguarding webinar series on 3 December with a session examining governance and independence, drawing close to 200 registered participants from 43 countries. Attendees included survivor advocates, Church leaders,...
Mexican National Safeguarding Meeting Highlights Victims’ Needs in Reporting Abuse
MEXICO CITY — Church leaders from across Mexico convened in late October for the Fourth National Meeting of Diocesan and Religious Commission Leaders for Vulnerable Children, Adolescents and Adults, organised by the National Council for the...
European Webinar Series on Safeguarding to Launch on 3 December
The European region of the Commission will launch a new webinar series on 3 December aimed at strengthening safeguarding practices across dioceses, religious congregations and Church institutions. The series is designed to offer a shared space for learning, reflection...
Colombian Church gathers for Second National Meeting on Culture of Care
BOGOTÁ — Nearly 140 safeguarding delegates from across Colombia met from 27–30 October for the Second National Meeting of Delegates for the Culture of Care, an initiative convened by the Episcopal Conference of Colombia. Organised by the National Office for the...
From Our Partners
Applications Open: European Conference on Safeguarding in the Catholic Church
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) is pleased to announce a Call for Abstracts for its upcoming European Conference. This event is designed for Church leaders and safeguarding personnel in Dioceses and Religious Congregations from across Europe.
Nov. 18: A Global movement to protect children
On November 18, on the sidelines of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Fall Assembly in Baltimore, Cardinals and World Faith Leaders will join child sexual abuse survivors for the Pathways to Prevention, Healing, and Justice Inaugural Sunrise Walk. At...
Indian Church opens National Safeguarding Centre
By Fr Joshan Rodrigues. A significant step forward was taken by the Catholic Church in India with regards to the protection of minors and vulnerable persons, with the inauguration of the National Safeguarding Centre on the 8th of September 2021, the Feast of the...
The ISC prepares the final event of its 2021 conference: Prevention Post Pandemic
The International Safeguarding Conference’s 2021 conference focused on the issue of Prevention Post Pandemic is ongoing, and its final event is drawing closer.
Bishop Arrieta: How Book VI of Canon Law has changed
Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru is the Secretary of the Pontifical Council of Legislative Texts. In an interview with Vatican Radio’s Christopher Wells, he explains why Book VI on Criminal Law has been revised and updated.
Vos Estis: Two Years Later, a Conversation with Canonists
Vos estis lux mundi was promulgated in May 2019 to address the issue of bishops’ accountability for clergy sexual abuse. It was approved “ad experimentum” for three years. Two years in, how is it going?
The ISC Launches its 2021 conference On Prevention post Pandemic
In light of what has happened globally, this conference aims at creating the space for collaborative professional development and fruitful sharing about how to deal with the consequences the pandemic has had on safeguarding children, young people, and people at risk.
Pope: child abuse is a kind of “psychological murder”
Pope Francis on Saturday urged families, educational and public institutions to tackle with renewed determination the scourge of child abuse, paedophilia and child pornography, describing them as “psychological murder”.
Cardinal Parolin: reaffirmS the dignity of Our Smallest ones
The Vatican Secretary of State sent a message during the meeting promoted by our Safeguarding Partner Telefono Azzurro that focused on the theme “Dignity of children and adolescents at the time of Covid”. The Cardinal stressed the need for “a more incisive approach in the education of our younger generations.”
ACSL Says Goodbye to outgoing CEO Sheree Limbrick and welcomes Dr. Ursula Stephens as new CEO
Ms. Sheree Limbrick: “Finally, to the survivors and advocates who I have met, who have trusted me with their stories, who have courageously and quietly helped CPSL/ACSL to stay true to our purpose and maintain clear line of sight to those most horrendously abused within our Church, I say thank you for your courage, trust, determination and resilience.”