VATICAN CITY (VATICAN CITY)
Vatican News - Holy See [Vatican City]
October 31, 2024
By Teresa Kettelkamp and Christopher Wells
Dr Teresa Kettelkamp, Adjunct Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, gives an overview of the Commission’s “Pilot Annual Report on Church Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding.”
“Victims want to be heard and victims want justice,” says Dr Teresa Kettelkamp, as she explains some of the findings of the “Pilot Annual Report on Church Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding,” published Tuesday by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
In an interview with Vatican News, Dr Kettelkamp, the Adjunct Secretary for the Commission, says the Report is a “tool… a snapshot of what the Church’s status is with regard to safeguarding and reaching out to survivors.”
“One finding” she is pleased with, she says, “is the desire to develop safeguarding mechanisms for the Church as universal.” Acknowledging the challenges that remain, Dr Kettelkamp says the Church already has “a safeguarding mentality,” but needs to develop a “safeguarding culture.”
Part of the challenge is delivering justice to survivors of abuse. “Victims want to be heard, and victims want justice,” she says.
Similarly, Dr Kettelkamp recognizes the limitations of this initial Report. “I want to give people hope,” she says, “I know that this is a pilot. This is a snapshot. There are gaps in some areas that even you know, but this is the first time out of the gate.”
But, she says, “the Church is serious about safeguarding. Even if they don’t have resources, I have not found one church leader with whom I met, in my experience, who dismisses safeguarding.”
“Now, are the resources there?” she asks. “Is the skill set there? Is the knowledge base there? No, but we can help. We can help with that.”
“Victims want to be heard and victims want justice,” says Dr Teresa Kettelkamp, as she explains some of the findings of the “Pilot Annual Report on Church Policies and Procedures for Safeguarding,” published Tuesday by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
In an interview with Vatican News, Dr Kettelkamp, the Adjunct Secretary for the Commission, says the Report is a “tool… a snapshot of what the Church’s status is with regard to safeguarding and reaching out to survivors.”
“One finding” she is pleased with, she says, “is the desire to develop safeguarding mechanisms for the Church as universal.” Acknowledging the challenges that remain, Dr Kettelkamp says the Church already has “a safeguarding mentality,” but needs to develop a “safeguarding culture.”
Part of the challenge is delivering justice to survivors of abuse. “Victims want to be heard, and victims want justice,” she says.
Similarly, Dr Kettelkamp recognizes the limitations of this initial Report. “I want to give people hope,” she says, “I know that this is a pilot. This is a snapshot. There are gaps in some areas that even you know, but this is the first time out of the gate.”
But, she says, “the Church is serious about safeguarding. Even if they don’t have resources, I have not found one church leader with whom I met, in my experience, who dismisses safeguarding.”
“Now, are the resources there?” she asks. “Is the skill set there? Is the knowledge base there? No, but we can help. We can help with that.”