2023-04-21 21:15:00
April 21, 2023 / 2:15 p.m.
Cardinal Seán O’Malley, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) in the Vatican, responded to criticism from the Jesuit priest and expert on the subject of abuse, Fr. Hans Zollner, who a few days ago He resigned from his post at that body.
The German priest announced on March 29 his resignationas he explained, due to a series of problems that he had identified over the years in “the areas of responsibility, compliance, accountability and transparency.”
In the opinion of Fr. Zollner, among other things, in the work of the Commission “there has been a lack of clarity in the process of selecting members and staff, as well as in their respective roles and responsibilities.”
“There should also be transparency in the way decisions are made in the Commission,” he added.
When he announced his resignation, Fr. Zollner said he was not aware of “any regulation that regulates the relationship between the Commission and the Department for the Doctrine of the Faith, since the Commission was placed in the Department last June.”
Also, on April 17, the Jesuit priest called a Press conference in which he reiterated his criticisms and apologized if anyone had been offended by them.
Cardinal O’Malley’s response
In an interview with Vatican Newspublished this April 21, the president of the PCPM, Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, commented: “First of all, I would say that in the Commission we are used to criticism.”
“When the Commission was established (2014), I think there were all kinds of unrealistic expectations about what this group of volunteers could do to solve all the problems of sexual abuse in the Church and the world,” said the Archbishop of Boston. .
“But we have learned from these criticisms and I believe that the Holy Father, by inserting ourselves in the Curia with this relationship with the Department for the Doctrine of the Faith, gives us the opportunity to be at the service of the Curia and build a culture of care in her”, stressed the US cardinal.
Said dicastery has among its functions to deal with accusations of abuses perpetrated by members of the clergy.
“Now, Father Zollner, who enjoys such goodwill among all the members of the Commission, has not been very involved in the life of the Commission in the last year, for whatever reason. So we were unaware of his concerns or the depth they have, ”continued the Cardinal.
“I am sorry that you decided not to come to our plenary[assembly]which is coming up very shortly, and share with all of us what those concerns were, instead of resigning and calling a press conference, which I don’t think was helpful. a lot of help,” he said.
“However, we will certainly seek to address all this in our next meeting with the members of the Commission,” said the president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
Agreement in the Vatican
The interview with Cardinal O’Malley took place in the framework of the signing of a new agreement between the PCPM, which he presides, and the Department for Evangelization, represented by the pro-prefect of the Section for the first evangelization and new churches individuals, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
The agreement, which is valid for three years, seeks to offer better care to victims of abuse, collaborate with the particular Churches, especially in the ad limina visits made by the bishops to the Vatican, and support the episcopal work in the care of the minors.
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