New York City, N.Y., Sep 22, 2017 / 08:38 am
In his September 20 remarks to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Pope Francis stated the important point that "the Church, at all levels, will respond with the application of the firmest measures to all those who have betrayed their call and abused the children of God." That reaffirmation of the Church's commitment to child protection cannot be said too often or too strongly.
The Holy Father then went on to say something new and very significant: "The disciplinary measures that the particular Churches have adopted must apply to all those who work in the institutions of the Church... Therefore, the Church irrevocably and at all levels seeks to apply the principle of 'zero tolerance' against the sexual abuse of minors."
This is an unambiguous call to action. The Church in the United States has been a world leader in child protection, and we have an opportunity now to lead again.
Since its adoption in 2002, the Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People has been the foundation for the Church's immensely successful efforts to provide a safe environment for children in our institutions and to ensure accountability for the implementation of those efforts. As successful as the Charter has been, however, it has always been missing a very significant piece -- on its face, it only applies to cases of misconduct by clergy and not by laypeople.