Pope Leo XIV is continuing efforts to strengthen the Catholic Church’s response to clergy sexual abuse through a new phase of dialogue with survivor advocates and the Vatican’s safeguarding commission.
Representatives of the international advocacy organization Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA) recently met in Rome with leaders of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM), the Vatican body tasked with promoting safeguarding policies throughout the Church. The meeting followed an earlier encounter between Pope Leo and abuse survivors in October 2025 and marks what participants described as a growing relationship between survivor groups and Vatican officials.
Matthias Katsch, a member of ECA’s board of directors and a survivor of abuse at a Jesuit school in Berlin, said the pope’s willingness to engage directly with victims’ advocates represents an important development.
“The fact that he received us was a sign of trust on his part, because in the past the relationship between survivors’ groups and the Vatican has not been easy, so we took a step forward,” Katsch said, according to EWTN News.
The June 15-16 meetings were held at a Vatican-owned property in central Rome and included senior officials from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Although Pope Leo did not attend personally, EWTN News reported that he proposed the meeting and plans are underway for additional discussions later this year.
Katsch described the conversations as “very positive” and emphasized that both Church leaders and survivor advocates share the same goal of protecting children and vulnerable persons.
“We have common ground: on both sides we have the same interest. We want to prevent this from continuing to happen,” he said, according to EWTN News.
The meetings came shortly after Pope Leo approved updated statutes for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, a move the commission said strengthens the Church’s commitment to safeguarding efforts worldwide.
According to EWTN News, Katsch welcomed greater clarity regarding responsibility for abuse prevention throughout the Church. He said the protection of minors should not rest solely with one commission or office but should be embraced by the entire Roman Curia and the wider Church.
During the discussions, ECA representatives urged Church leaders to consider broader adoption of accountability standards similar to those implemented in the United States following the clergy abuse crisis that came to national attention in 2002.
Katsch said ECA supports a policy of “zero tolerance” for clergy who have abused minors, arguing that priests found guilty of abuse should no longer serve in leadership or ministry roles within the Church. He pointed to the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People as an example of a system that has resulted in the removal of abusive clergy from ministry.
“After 25 years, we have seen that it has worked,” Katsch said, according to EWTN News. “Hundreds of priests in the United States have been removed from ministry for having abused children. So why cannot that clarity be applied in other parts of the world?”
ECA is also expected to present proposals for a universal Church law addressing abuse cases. According to EWTN News, the recommendations include creating an independent agency with investigative authority, requiring public reporting, and strengthening transparency measures.
Another issue raised during the meetings was cooperation with civil authorities. Katsch said Church officials should work with legal authorities when abuse allegations arise, while acknowledging that legal frameworks differ significantly from country to country.
The Vatican’s safeguarding commission has agreed to continue discussions with ECA, according to EWTN News. The ongoing dialogue comes ahead of a Vatican plenary session scheduled for September, where Church leaders are expected to review the effectiveness of current safeguarding policies, assess progress, and identify areas requiring further reform.
As the Church continues its efforts to protect minors and support victims, both Vatican officials and survivor advocates appear committed to maintaining a conversation that seeks greater accountability, transparency, and healing for those affected by abuse.
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