FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

An Unlikely Alliance: Survivors and Clergy Demand ‘One Strike and You’re Out’ Church Mandate on Abuse and Cover-Ups

November 18, 2024 | Rome, Italy — On World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, survivor-advocates from ECA (Ending Clergy Abuse) and ecclesiastical safeguarding experts from the IADC (Institute of Anthropology’s Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care) will present a bold zero-tolerance proposal to reform Canon Law at 11 a.m. at the Villa Aurelia (Via Leone XIII, 459, 00165, Rome).

The group is proposing that the global Church adopt the zero-tolerance norm approved by the Vatican for the U.S. Church in 2002, which requires that any priest or deacon found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor be removed permanently from ministry. See the link below:

https://www.usccb.org/resources/Charter-for-the-Protection-of-Children-and-Young-People-2018-final%281%29.pdf [See Norm 8, pp. 23-24]

This proposal was drafted at a historic summit held in Rome last June, where a select group of survivors, clergy, advocates, theologians, legal experts, and government representatives gathered to develop a global zero-tolerance policy for clergy sexual abuse. Over three days of discussions, they outlined a comprehensive set of reforms aimed at eliminating abuse and enhancing transparency within the Church. The proposed reforms include:

 A call for systemic change:

  • Permanent Removal of Abusers: Clergy found guilty of abusing children or vulnerable adults will be permanently removed from ministry.
  • Independent Investigative Body: An independent agency will be established to investigate the handling of abuse cases by church superiors and will issue public reports and recommendations.
  • Mandated Transparency: Full transparency will be ensured throughout the investigation process, with survivors and the public being informed at every stage.
  • Accountability for Church Leaders: Severe penalties will be imposed on bishops and Church officials who fail to implement safeguarding protocols or who protect abusers.

A call for incremental improvements:

 A clear definition of rights for survivors and all parties involved in an ecclesiastical trial.

  • Clarification on the application and applicability of Vos Estis Lux Mundi.
  • Publication of jurisprudence and case law by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF).

“Clergy sexual abuse is not a relic of the past—it’s a present and ongoing crisis. For years, survivors like myself have endured the agony of knowing that the priest who abused us continues to serve on the altar, in the very communities where we live,” said Gemma Hickey, transgender survivor and Board President of ECA. “Despite Pope Francis’s repeated calls for zero-tolerance on abuse, his words have yet to lead to any real action. The outcomes of the Synod make that painfully clear.”

The recent report from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors seems to suggest that progress within Holy See offices has been insufficient in implementing effective measures to prevent sexual abuse within the Church. It highlights a lack of accountability, transparency, and adequate support systems for survivors, calling for more concrete measures to ensure the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.

“Safeguarding is not just a legal or organizational matter—it is a moral and spiritual imperative,” said Hans Zollner SJ, theologian, and leading safeguarding expert. “Only by confronting the past openly and taking decisive action can we begin to rebuild the trust that has been so severely broken.”

The proposed reforms align with the recommendations of the United Nation’s 2014 Committee on the Rights of the Child and the findings of multiple state-sponsored investigations into clergy abuse.

“The devastating reality is that in every country outside the U.S., Church law still permits known and even convicted abusers to remain in active ministry under certain conditions. Universalizing the U.S. norm would be a small step forward,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of the U.S.-based watchdog group BishopAccountability.org, which has been documenting the clergy abuse crisis since 2003.

ECA (ecaglobal.org), a global coalition of survivors and human rights advocates from over 25 countries, and IADC (iadc.unigre.it), a research institute at the Pontifical Gregorian University focused on human rights and safeguarding within the Church, are co-leading this initiative. To advance these efforts, an academic conference is being planned in Rome next year.

For more information, please contact:

Gemma Hickey (they/he) – Canada
Author, ECA Board President
gemmamhickey@gmail.com / +1 709 690 5244

Janet Aguti – Uganda
ECA Board Vice-President
janetaguti1@gmail.com / +256 759 195484

Tim Law – U.S.
ECA Board Member
timalaw@aol.com / +1 206 412 0165

Sergio Salinas – Argentina
Lawyer, ECA Board Member
sergiosalinas@gmail.com / +54 9 2615 11-6963

Murray Heasley – New Zealand
ECA Board Member
murray.heasley@gmail.com / +64 22 393 6775

Denise Buchanan – Jamaica
Human Rights Consultant, ECA Founding Member
denise@ecaglobal.org / +1 3109802770

Matthias Katsch – Germany
Author, ECA Founding Member
matthias.katsch@eckiger-tisch.de / +49 178 1674838

Anne Barrett Doyle – U.S.
Researcher and Co-Director of BishopAccountability.org
barrett.doyle@comcast.net / +1 781-439-5208

Hans Zollner, SJ – Italy
Theologian, Psychologist, Director of IADC
iadc-dir@unigre.it / +39 0683653084