Vatican recommends Colombian bishops integrate victims’ perspectives into prevention policies

The Vatican has recognized the efforts of the Catholic Church in Colombia to prevent and combat sexual abuse, however, it has recommended that the bishops also create a victims’ defense group that allows their perspectives to be integrated “in policy formulation.”

The recommendation is found in the report published yesterday by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the first since this body was created by Pope Francis in 2014.

The text collects the learning of these ten years and seeks to make known “the necessary findings and recommendations” for the care of vulnerable people, as well as promote “the transformation of the Church” with clear criteria and guidelines.

In this sense, it takes note of the meeting that the Commission had with the second delegation of Colombian bishops that traveled to the Vatican on a visit at the thresholdduring which he observed that within the Episcopate there is “an encouraging structural infrastructure” with clear guidelines and “local reporting systems.”

However, in reviewing the prelates’ responses to the Commission’s standard questionnaire, it was realized that “there is a lack of financial and human resources to enact a robust protection action plan aimed at activating the Conference guidelines in the lives of the local Church.”

Given this, the bishops were encouraged to adopt in Colombia the Memorization Initiativecreated by the Vatican “to help and work together with local Churches around the world, in training and training in matters of prevention and protection of children and vulnerable adults,” as explained at the time Vatican News.

The creation of a victims’ advocacy group

According to the report, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors “observed serious reflection by the bishops on their shortcomings and failure to comply with their protocols, which has caused much pain to the victims/survivors.”

“This reflection,” he adds, “gave rise to an openness to collaborating with the Commission on a review of the guidelines and protocols, especially with regard to the bishops’ commitment to victims/survivors, their communities, and the local Church in general.” ”.

In that regard, the Commission has “specifically recommended the facilitation of an organized victim/survivor advocacy group in order to integrate victim/survivor perspectives into policy formulation.”

“Of particular importance,” he notes, “is the facilitation of protection training for both laity and clergy.”

The Vatican report has highlighted as good practices “the psychological evaluations of candidates” for the priesthood, “the diligent investigation of clerics who move between ecclesiastical provinces and the participation of lay people in protection structures by the Conference.”

Likewise, it “recognizes the maturity” of the Episcopate’s guidelines to prevent abuse, included in the document Culture of care in the Colombian Catholic Church: Guidelinesand that facilitate “the adoption of a universal and holistic approach to the issue being addressed.”

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, president of the Commission, noted during the press conference presenting the report that the objective of this body is to “do everything possible” to address the lack of justice and recognition of people in the Church.

He stated that the suffering and wounds of the victims “have opened our eyes to the fact that, as a Church, we have failed” in their care and that they were not defended, “and that we resisted understanding them when they needed us most.”

“We hope that this report, and those to come, compiled with the help of the victims and survivors at the center, will help ensure a firm commitment that these events never happen again in the Church,” he said.