By Courtney Mares

Vatican City, October 29, 2024 / 10:00 a.m.

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

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

Released on October 29, the inaugural report reveals that “a significant portion of Central and South America, Africa and Asia do not have adequate dedicated resources” available for safeguarding efforts.

The pontifical commission also identified a “continuing concern regarding the transparency of the Roman Curia’s legal procedures and processes,” noting that this lack of transparency is likely to “foment distrust among the faithful, particularly among the victim community/ survivors.”

He particularly pointed the finger at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) for the slow processing of files and the length of canonical procedures, which, according to him, can be a “source of new trauma for the victims”.

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

The commission also called for the appointment of a Vatican defender or mediator to help victims and called for further study of 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 said 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 in two religious orders and regional Caritas offices.

The commission’s conclusions varied by region. While parts of Europe have demonstrated 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, ranging from cultural and financial barriers to shortages of qualified personnel in fields like canon law and psychology.

In Papua New Guinea, financial constraints limit the training of protection experts, and the prohibitive cost of anti-rape kits limits the ability to gather evidence for criminal investigations. A similar lack of trained experts in canon law and psychology hampers the work of Church safeguarding offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Zambia, meanwhile, faces cultural barriers, such as a “patriarchal society” and a “culture of silence,” which prevent survivors, especially young girls, from reporting abuse.

In Mexico, cultural barriers to reporting abuse also pose a significant barrier to justice, according to the report.

In response to gaps in safeguarding resources, particularly in developing regions, the commission launched the “Memorare Initiative,” inspired by a traditional prayer to the Virgin Mary. This program aims to support the creation of abuse reporting centers and victim services in countries in the South.

Other recommendations included simplified procedures for firing church leaders involved in abuse or cover-ups, as well as policies promoting fair compensation for victims.

(Story continues below)

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

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

Moving forward, the commission plans to examine between 15 and 20 bishops’ conferences per year during ad limina visits, with the goal of examining the Church as a whole over five to six years.

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

Courtney Mares is a correspondent in Rome for the Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported for news bureaus 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” (Ignatius, 2023),