The Church’s Response
Safeguarding the Vulnerable
A Timeline of References
The Catholic Church unequivocally condemns the abuse of minors and vulnerable persons, recognizing it as a grave sin and a violation of human dignity. The Church has taken significant strides to address this crisis, implementing policies and procedures to prevent abuse, provide support for victim/survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. While acknowledging past failures, the Church is dedicated to ongoing reform and the healing of victim/survivors.
The following chronology documents a number of resources related to the prevention of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. These were produced at different times, by the Holy See and in North America especially.
- Primitive Church (1st-2nd centuries): The Didache (“teaching”, in Greek) explicitly condemns sexual relations between men and boys, at a time where “corruption of young boys” and promiscuity are current in Greco-Roman culture.
- Council of Elvira (c. 305 A.D.): Prohibition of pederasty and first explicit obligation of priestly continence. During the Middle Ages, many councils seek to sanction corrupted clergy (Lateran councils of 1179 and 1215, among others). In 1741, Pope Benedict XIV promulgates Sacramentum Poenitentiae, quoted in 1962 by Pope John XXIII in Crimen sollicitationis on sexual sollicitation by clerics – an instruction not made public at the time. The Canon Law of 1917 and 1983 both condemn sexual abuse by clergy.
- June 8-9, 1985: Report and recommendations The problem of sexual molestation by Roman Catholic clergy: Meeting the problem in a comprehensive and responsible manner, by Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, O.P.
- May 1989 – June 1990: Winter Commission Report (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s, Newfoundland), The Report of the Archdiocesan Commission of Enquiry into the Sexual Abuse of Children by Members of the Clergy.
- June 1992: Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse, CCCB, From Pain to Hope.
- 2002: Adoption of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People by the USCCB. Publication of the report of the National Review Board on The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors.
- August 20, 2018: Letter to the People of God, Pope Francis.
- September 27, 2018: CCCB publishes Protecting Minors from Sexual Abuse: A Call to the Catholic Faithful in Canada for Healing, Reconciliation, and Transformation.
- February 21-24, 2019: Rome: Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, preceded by a statement from the UISG/USG on February 19.
- February 27, 2019: Canadian Jesuits, Sexual Abuse in the Church: Paths of Healing and Transformation.
- May 7, 2019: Vatican issues “Vos estis lux mundi”, a Motu Proprio establishing new international norms for preventing and reporting sexual abuse. The document empowers victims by providing a clear process for holding accountable even bishops and major superiors, whether for committing or covering up abuse.
- January 2021: New Book VI of the Code of Canon Law: Penal Sanctions in the Church
- April 2022: The “Memorare Initiative” aims to assist and collaborate with local Churches worldwide in training and strengthening the prevention and safeguarding capacities for children and vulnerable adults.
- March 2024: “Universal Guidelines Framework”, a provisory text issued by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to strengthen the existing Safeguarding Guidelines throughout the Church to ensure that the Church is a safe environment for children and vulnerable persons, among others.
The resources and initiatives outlined in this timeline demonstrate the Church’s commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. For more information on the Church’s response to the abuse crisis, please visit the Vatican’s resources or the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.