Overview

• The Pontifical Commission says the Church has a moral obligation to provide financial help, therapy, pastoral care and apologies to survivors.
• It urges sanctions commensurate with crimes for abusers and enablers and criticizes secretive canonical procedures that retraumatize victims, including accounts of denial and retaliation.
• The report calls for the Vatican to state when a bishop’s resignation or removal is tied to abuse or negligence.
• Audits flag uneven safeguarding, citing poor cooperation in Italy and weak protocols and cultural taboos in parts of Africa, including Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Kenya.
• The commission notes that few cases from regions overseen by the Dicastery for Evangelization reach Rome and urges stronger resources and vetting for prospective bishops.