The Pope’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons has drafted an updated version of global anti-abuse safeguarding guidelines along with a survey for feedback on the new norms.
Newsdesk (24/06/2023 10:30, Gaudium Press) In a bid to bolster efforts against abuse within the Catholic Church, Pope Francis’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons has drafted updated global anti-abuse safeguarding guidelines and launched a survey to gather feedback on the proposed norms.
Approved during the commission’s recent plenary assembly held in Rome, the new Universal Guidelines Framework (UGF) serves as a model for safeguarding standards to be implemented in every local church worldwide. The guidelines aim to promote protection from abuse, support survivors, and address abuse appropriately when it occurs. The framework, based on a decade of work in both ecclesial and civil society, encompasses core principles that will be reflected in safeguarding guidelines and policies across all local churches.
The commission has distributed the framework to every bishops’ conference and religious community leaders, seeking their feedback. Additionally, a public comment period has been initiated through a survey available on the commission’s website. The survey, offered in multiple languages, includes frequently asked questions to provide clarity on the commission’s work, the background of the framework, and the utilization of feedback. While bishops and church leaders have already received the guidelines, the commission aims to involve a broader audience in the consultation process, encouraging diverse perspectives.
The commission is particularly interested in receiving feedback on the effectiveness of the Universal Guidelines Framework in achieving its objectives. The responses and feedback gathered will be reviewed, consolidated, and integrated into the final version of the framework. The commission plans to evaluate and approve the final version by the end of 2023, after which it will be distributed to all local churches with a request to update their current safeguarding policies and submit them for review.
The issuance of these updated guidelines aims to facilitate adherence to recent legislation on safeguarding introduced by Pope Francis. These include the 2019 law Vos Estis Lux Mundi, which mandates the reporting of abuse, including by bishops, and the 2016 decree Come una madre amorevole, which addresses negligence by bishops in reporting abuse allegations. However, questions persist regarding the implementation and impact of these measures within the Church, as the Vatican has not made public announcements regarding investigations conducted under these decrees.
In addition to outlining global safeguarding norms, the commission’s framework also emphasizes the provision of concrete assistance to areas of the Church lacking the necessary resources for implementation. To support this endeavour, the commission will draw from funds belonging to the Memorare program, established with the goal of ensuring assistance for all.
The commission’s progress in renewing the Church’s global safeguarding guidelines and their local implementation will be included in the Annual Report on Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, as requested by Pope Francis in April 2022. An initial blueprint of the report will be released in October this year, with the final version, containing live data from around the world, expected in October 2024.
This latest development comes at a challenging time for the commission, following the departure of prominent member Father Hans Zollner, a respected safeguarding expert, earlier this year. Complaints regarding management, financial issues, and administrative transparency were cited as reasons for his departure. Recently, reports have emerged alleging questionable financial transactions involving the commission’s secretary, Father Andrew Small, during a previous assignment with the Pontifical Mission Society. Father Small has denied any wrongdoing.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
