Addressing the members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Pope Leo XIV said that “the prevention of abuse is not an optional task, but a constitutive dimension of the mission of the Church.”
“Prevention is never just a set of protocols or procedures,” Pope Leo said in his March 16 address. “It is about helping to form, throughout the Church, a culture of care, in which the protection of minors and persons in vulnerable situations is not seen as an obligation imposed from outside, but as a natural expression of faith.”
“It calls therefore for a process of conversion where the sufferings of others are heard and move us to take action,” he continued. “In this regard, the experiences of victims and survivors are essential reference points.”
Pope Leo also said that “it is my expectation that you continue to achieve even greater cooperation” with the dicasteries of the Roman Curia, “so that they may enrich your work with their knowledge.”