Overview

• The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors issued its second annual report on Oct. 16, warning that decades of mismanagement continue to inflict 'ongoing harm' on survivors.
• The document calls for survivor-centered reparations that include psychological care, financial support, attentive listening, and public and private apologies.
• It presses for clearer accountability by publicly explaining when bishops resign or are removed due to abuse cases or negligence.
• The commission highlights serious gaps in implementation, noting cooperation from only 81 of 226 Italian dioceses and citing weak or absent protocols in Equatorial Guinea, resistance in Ethiopia, and cultural taboos in Kenya.
• Based on testimony from victims and experts, the report details denial, rejection, and reprisals by church leaders, and urges the Dicastery for Evangelization to strengthen resources for vetting candidates for bishop.