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Government and Catholic Church Sign One-Year Pact to Compensate Clerical Abuse Victims

A new mixed pathway puts the Ombudsman in charge of proposing reparations, with Church-funded payments exempt from income tax.

Overview

  • Minister Félix Bolaños signed the agreement in Madrid with CEE president Luis Argüello and Confer president Jesús Díaz Sariego, setting a one-year term with an option to extend for another year.
  • Victims whose cases cannot proceed in court may file through a Justice Ministry processing unit, which forwards cases to the Ombudsman’s Victims Unit for individualized proposals.
  • The Church’s PRIVA commission will evaluate each proposal; disagreements move to a mixed commission that includes victim associations, and the Ombudsman makes the final decision after hearing Church leaders.
  • The Church commits to carry out financial and other reparations, with CEE or Confer stepping in if a responsible diocese or order fails to comply, and no fixed compensation scale is imposed.
  • Payments will be treated as exempt from income tax, and the CEE says the Government also pledged to pursue broader reparations for child abuse beyond the Church.