Pope Leo XIV Learns of Updates During Meeting with Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors at the Vatican




Pope Leo XIV received the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors on Thursday morning in the Vatican.

The Commission released a statement saying: the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) was received in audience by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The hour long meeting marked a significant moment of reflection, dialogue, and renewal of the Church’s unwavering commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people.

It is with humility and hope that we continue the mission first entrusted to us by Pope Francis in Praedicate Evangelium: to advise the Supreme Pontiff in the development and promotion of universal safeguarding standards, and to accompany the Church in building a culture of accountability, justice, and compassion.
As part of the restructuring of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis had elevated the Commission, which works to safeguard and prevent abuse and which he instituted at the start of his papacy, to be within the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Commission, however,  retains independence to do what is most important to help in the fight against clerical sexual abuse and members report directly to the pope.
Pope Leo XIV, in a similar manner, appealed to the Commission to continue this direct communication with him, in order to ensure maximum efforts are made to protect minors and the vulnerable, in all respects.
The Church has taken significant steps to address cases of abuse, including the establishment of their Commission, the updating of canon law and other instruments that provide mechanisms for reporting abuse and misconduct by bishops, the obligation of mandatory reporting to civil authorities in certain jurisdictions, and a growing body of national guidelines and safeguarding protocols. But even so, the Commission noted that more needs to be done on various levels.
The Universal Guidelines Framework: A Living Process
Over the past two years, the Commission has undertaken a wide-reaching process to develop a set of Universal Guidelines Framework for Safeguarding (UGF), in close consultation with Church leaders, safeguarding professionals, survivors of abuse, and pastoral workers from across the globe. This synodal effort has resulted in a draft framework that has been tested and refined through pilot programs in Tonga, Poland, Zimbabwe, and Costa Rica. These regional pilots have provided the Commission with invaluable insights into the practical, cultural, and theological dimensions of safeguarding.

These guidelines are not only descriptive—they are deeply theological, rooted in Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching, and the magisterium of Popes Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV. They seek to inspire a true conversion of heart in every leader and pastoral agent in the Church, ensuring that safeguarding becomes not merely a requirement, but a reflection of the Gospel’s call to protect the least among us.
In April 2022, Pope Francis asked the Commission to present him with an Annual Report, to serve as a "reliable account of what the Church is doing, and what needs to change, in order to help competent authorities act."

The Report, covering the 2023 calendar year, was produced by the Commission on 29 October 2024, and can be read here. It is broken into four sections and examines the situation of various local Churches and continents, the Roman Curia's effectiveness in safeguarding, how the Church aids society to safeguard, and how the Commission offers a tool of accountability and transparency.
UPDATES by the Commission to the Pope
The Commission also updated Pope Leo on progress in the Memorare Initiative, our capacity-building program designed to support local churches—particularly in the Global South—in their efforts to protect minors and care f or victims of abuse.

The initiative draws its name from the ancient prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, reminding us that “no one is left unaided.” It offers a practical and pastoral response to Pope Francis’s call that each particular Church become “the safest place of all.”

With financial support from Episcopal Conferences, the Memorare Initiative works through four pillars:

1. Establishing Safeguarding Infrastructure: Supporting the creation of local offices that offer victim support, ensure reporting mechanisms, and provide access to legal, psychological, and pastoral services.

2. Prevention through Education: Offering training and implementation support for protocols that foster safe environments and a culture of good treatment and respect.

3. Global Collaboration: Building intercontinental networks for knowledge sharing and collective commitment, under the principle of “One Church for the Protection of Minors.”

4. Strategic Communication: Empowering local churches to communicate effectively, promote safeguarding, and foster transparency.

The Memorare Initiative is tailored to each ecclesial context. It respects local autonomy while offering essential support to ensure that all churches, regardless of resources, can uphold their sacred duty to protect the vulnerable.

Sources: https://www.tutelaminorum.org/pope-leo-safeguarding-with-compassion-subtitle-tutela-minorum-meets-with-pope-leo-xiv-for-dialogue-on-the-protection-of-minors-in-the-church/
and Vatican News (Images Vatican Media)

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