The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has released its Second Annual Report on Safeguarding Policies in the Catholic Church, a landmark document emphasizing “restorative measures” for victims of abuse, transparent accountability, and a renewed culture of listening and reparation within the Church.
A Global Framework for Healing
According to Vatican News, the 2025 report serves as a “vademecum” — an operational guide to help dioceses and religious orders accompany survivors through “informed listening” and holistic support. This includes access to information about their cases, psychological and spiritual care, and financial assistance for medical or counseling expenses.
Archbishop Thibault Verny, newly appointed president of the Commission by Pope Leo XIV, described the Church’s safeguarding work as a “perpetual pilgrimage” — a continuing journey of repentance, reform, and renewal.
Beyond Financial Compensation
Dr. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, the jurist overseeing the working group that produced the report, stressed that reparation must extend far beyond financial settlements. “We clearly indicate that financial compensation is not the only way to address reparation and what the victims need,” she told Vatican News. “What they say is, basically, ‘what we want is to be listened to.’ Sometimes it’s more important that they’re feeling welcomed and supported than receiving financial compensation.”
This year’s report focuses specifically on reparation — one pillar in what the Commission calls “conversional justice” — a framework that integrates justice, truth, and reform into the Church’s process of healing.
Transparency, Responsibility, and Reform
The Commission calls for “transparent official statements that acknowledge the harm caused and publicly assume responsibility.” It recommends simplifying reporting procedures and introducing “clear communication” about the reasons for removals or resignations of Church leaders found to have failed in safeguarding duties.
The report also highlights the need for a “systemic and mandatory reporting mechanism” at the local level, ensuring that safeguarding offices provide timely and transparent updates. This, according to the Commission, would foster “institutional accountability” and allow competent authorities to act decisively.
Listening to Victims and Gathering Data
Another urgent need identified is data collection. “Data is so important because no data, no problem,” said Dr. de Boer-Buquicchio. “We are trying to seek additional data from all possible sources, to go beyond the internal data we have received through the Churches themselves or through the dicasteries.”
This emphasis reflects the Commission’s broader goal of transparency — to ensure that both the Church and the faithful understand the scope of abuse and the progress being made toward justice and prevention.
The Road Ahead
While the report acknowledges progress in many local Churches — such as Italy’s development of 226 diocesan safeguarding services and 108 listening centers — it warns that disparities remain, particularly in regions without centralized reporting offices or adequate training.
Dr. de Boer-Buquicchio noted that some Churches are far along in their safeguarding frameworks, others are just beginning, and still others remain at the starting line. “We have seen that there’s more awareness and understanding of the need to engage with victims, so we see some progress there,” she said. “Not enough, but… slowly, slowly, step by step, we are making progress.”
A Call to Conversion
Ultimately, the Commission’s report views safeguarding as an ongoing process of conversion for the entire Church — a commitment not only to justice for victims but to the transformation of ecclesial culture itself. As the report states, reparation is “a shared responsibility of the entire community — excluding only the victims/survivors — aimed at fostering an environment of care and mutual respect.”
The next annual report, according to Dr. de Boer-Buquicchio, will focus on justice and access to justice, followed by a study on institutional reform and truth — “because isn’t truth the foundation of everything that we are arguing here?”
