Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

The Latest

A Colombian psychologist bishop and a retired colonel from the Illinois State Police are the new secretaries of the Pontifical Commission for the Guardianship of Minors.

Pope Francis names U.S. police professional, Colombian bishop to minor protection commission

Mar 15, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Pope Francis on Friday made two appointments to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.  Read more

Pope Francis joines the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in prayer at the Vatican on March 7, 2024.

Pope Francis to clergy abuse commission: ‘Our commitment must not wane’

Mar 7, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

“I encourage you to move forward so that the Church will be, always and everywhere, a place where everyone can... Read more

Pope Francis meets with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in an audience May 5, 2023.

Pope Francis invites child protection group to have ‘a spirituality of reparation’

May 5, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

“The sexual abuse of minors by clergy and its poor handling by Church leaders has been one of the greatest... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.

Cardinal O’Malley ‘surprised, disappointed’ by abuse expert’s criticism of Vatican commission

Mar 30, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Cardinal Sean O’Malley said Thursday he strongly disagrees with a critique of the Vatican’s safeguarding commission by Father Hans Zollner. Read more

Father Hans Zollner.

Abuse expert leaves Vatican commission for protection of minors, citing concerns

Mar 29, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Father Hans Zollner said in a statement March 29 that “structural and practical issues” within the commission had led him... Read more

Father Andrew Small, O.M.I.

The Church must do more for survivors of sexual abuse, Vatican official says

Jul 22, 2022

By Andrea Gagliarducci

The Church must do more for anyone affected by sexual abuse, “even when the Church can appear tarnished because of... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.

Cardinal O’Malley urges Italian Catholic bishops to ‘make things right’ for abuse survivors

May 26, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘We have nothing to fear by telling the truth,’ said the head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of... Read more

Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors president Cardinal Seán O’Malley, left, attends a press conference near the Vatican, April 29, 2022.

Cardinal O’Malley defends the independence of the Vatican’s safeguarding commission

Apr 29, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The Boston archbishop said that Pope Francis ‘has assured us that … the commission will be independent.’ Read more

Pope Francis meets members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors at the Vatican, April 29, 2022.

Pope Francis asks for annual report on Church’s efforts to prevent abuse

Apr 29, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The pontiff was addressing the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Read more

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Pope Francis wants seminarians to read this letter from a clerical abuse survivor

Oct 20, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The letter urges them to ‘Please be a good priest.’ Read more

Fernando Karadima

Fernando Karadima, former priest whose sex abuse scandal rocked Chile, dead at 90

Jul 26, 2021

By Kevin J. Jones

Fernando Karadima, an influential former priest in Chile whose sexual abuse of minors prompted major questions about episcopal cover-ups, has... Read more

Fr. Andrew Small, O.M.I.

Pope Francis names new secretary of Vatican safeguarding commission

Jun 22, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Fr. Andrew Small succeeds Msgr. Robert Oliver as secretary for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Read more

Msgr. Robert Oliver, then secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, in Rome, July 11, 2019.

American priest reveals communication ‘mix-up’ about end of Vatican job

Apr 6, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Msgr. Robert Oliver has said that due to a “mix-up,” he was not told in advance that his service on... Read more

Juan Carlos Cruz attends the red carpet of the movie Francesco during the 15th Rome Film Festival on October 21, 2020 in Rome, Italy.

Pope Francis appoints Juan Carlos Cruz to pontifical commission for protecting minors

Mar 24, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis has appointed Juan Carlos Cruz, a Chilean survivor of clerical sex abuse, to the Pontifical Commission for the... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican, April 19, 2018.

Cardinal O’Malley: Listening to abuse survivors is crucial

Sep 10, 2018

In an interview with Vatican News on Sunday, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston said Church leaders must listen to abuse... Read more

Marie Collins, former member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, speaks at a panel at the 2018 World Meeting of Families.

Write ‘zero-tolerance’ into canon law says abuse survivor

Aug 24, 2018

By Christine Rousselle

Canon law should be re-written to institute a global zero-tolerance policy against priests who commit sexual abuse, a clerical abuse... Read more

Safeguarding commission member: bishops' role in crisis must be acknowledged

Aug 21, 2018

By Hannah Brockhaus

A member of Pope Francis’ commission for the protection of minors said Tuesday that the role bishops and superiors have... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley.

Pope reappoints O’Malley to head further work of safeguarding commission

Feb 17, 2018

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Saturday the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has reconfirmed Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston as head of the Pontifical... Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square June 17, 2015.

Pope reiterates Church’s ‘zero tolerance’ on abuse of minors

Sep 21, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

Thursday in a written speech Pope Francis reiterated the Catholic Church’s commitment to the protection of minors from sexual abuse,... Read more

Rome conference to address safeguarding children online

May 31, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

An international congress in Rome this autumn will bring together experts to focus on the problem of online sexual abuse... Read more