The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Children Mons. Robert W. Oliver, STD, JCD

“Pope Francis has made it clear that the Church must hold the protection of minors amongst her highest priorities.“ -Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ

Guiding Principles In 2001, Pope John Paul II assigned the CDF special responsibilities for prosecution of the crime of child abuse In 2014, Pope Francis established the Commission for the Protection of Minors to collaborate with CDF and support bishops, religious superiors with the priority to be spiritually united to victims of abuse and their families

Guiding Principles “All institutions, without exception, must be held to exacting standards in the protection of children and young people.” Pope Benedict XVI, Ad limina visit of U.S. bishops, 2011

Guiding Principles “It is personal and moral damage, but carried out by men of the Church. And we do not want to take one step backward in dealing with this problem and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, I believe that we have to be very firm.” - Pope Francis, 11 April 2014

Our priorities “To establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure that the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes” Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the Bishops of Ireland, 2006

Commission Statement, Oct “As an advisory commission to the Holy Father, we will propose initiatives to encourage local responsibility around the world and the mutual sharing of best practices for the protection of all minors, including programs for training, education, formation, and responses to abuse…

Commission Statement, Oct … We have also shared with Pope Francis how important certain areas are to us in our work. We see ensuring accountability in the Church as especially important, including developing means for effective and transparent protocols and processes.”

1. Assistance to Victims of Abuse The “Priority Principle” –first commitment is to listen and to assist victims –focus on healing and reconciliation, if person is willing “Person to person” –genuine willingness to listen –personal meetings –expressions of understanding, acknowledgement

Commission Statement, May 2014 “As we begin our service together, we wish to express our heartfelt solidarity with all victims/survivors of sexual abuse as children and vulnerable adults and to share that, from the very beginning of our work, we have adopted the principle that the best interests of a child or vulnerable adult are primary when any decision is made.”

2. Healing of the Catholic Community VICTIM VICTIM’S FAMILY PARISH COMMUNITY DIOCESE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pastoral Letter to Catholics of Ireland I must also express my conviction that, in order to recover from this grievous wound, the Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before others the serious sins committed against defenceless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children from similar crimes. - Pope Benedict XVI, 2010

Commission Statement, 2014 “During our meetings, each of us have been able to share our thoughts, experiences, and our aspirations for this Commission... Our conversations included many proposals for ways in which we might collaborate with experts from different areas related to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.”

3. Assistance to Local Churches To assist bishops, religious superiors, local leaders sharing of best practices developing guidelines, protocols, norms creating programs of education, prevention establishing safe environments

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Circular Letter, May 2011 Purpose: To assist Episcopal Conferences and Conferences of Religious in developing Guidelines for dealing with cases of sexual abuse of minors perpetrated by clerics. Goal: “The appropriate response to the cases of sexual abuse of minors by clerics entails the development of suitable procedures.”

Pope Francis to Gerhard Cardinal Müller: “decisive action on behalf of our children and the young people of the whole world”

Statutes, Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors The purpose of the Commission is to propose initiatives and policies to the Roman Pontiff, to promote local responsibility in the universal Church for the protection of all children and vulnerable adults, particularly in the mutual sharing of the "best practices" and training programs, education, formation and response to the sexual abuse of minors.

Areas for local Guidelines 1. assisting the victims of abuse 2. cooperating with civil authorities 3. support for all priests and for those accused 4. formation for future priests and religious 5. educating community on protection of minors

1. Assistance for victims/survivors a priority and a clear commitment personal meetings genuine willingness to listen spiritual, psychological healing, with experts reconciliation if the person is willing help with canonical process

2. Cooperation with Civil Authorities sexual abuse is a crime prosecuted by civil law legal, moral obligation to notify civil authorities legal rights and responsibilities of Church, members respect for sacramental internal forum diversity of situations around world

3. Support for Accused Clergy When a priest is accused, he receives appropriate care and fit sustenance The accusation is processed promptly and thoroughly and limits on ministry are placed correctly, clearly In the preliminary investigation, priest receives necessary information and ordinarily an opportunity for an initial response

Pope Benedict XVI, Letter to the Church in Ireland “be attentive to the spiritual and moral lives of each one of your priests” “set them an example by your own lives, be close to them, listen to their concerns, offer them encouragement at this difficult time” “stir up the flame of their love for Christ and their commitment to the service of their brothers and sisters.”

4. Formation Future Priests, Religious Specific criteria stated in Guidelines –discerning a vocation –healthy, sound human and spiritual formation –exchange of information when transfer Resources –Pope John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis –Instructions from dicasteries of the Holy See

5. Education and prevention safe environment programs and protocols victim assistance coordinators child protection teams advisory boards national and diocesan commissions trained, experienced canonical personnel

Concluding Thoughts and Discussion