VATICAN CITY, Oct 30:  In its first annual report released on Tuesday, the Vatican’s child protection commission stressed the need for the Catholic Church to improve its compensation efforts for victims of clergy sexual abuse. The Church has been embroiled in numerous scandals worldwide involving abusive priests and cover-ups, leading to significant damage to its reputation and costly settlements amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The commission pointed out that compensation should encompass more than just monetary payments, advocating for acknowledgment of mistakes, public apologies, and meaningful support for victims. They committed to promoting the establishment of standardized, transparent procedures for reparations, with a thorough examination of these issues set for next year’s report.

Pope Francis created the anti-abuse commission in 2013, and he faced strong backlash during a visit to Belgium in September, where leaders called for greater support for abuse survivors. Earlier this month, a Vatican summit of world bishops ended with multiple apologies for the ongoing suffering of Catholics victimized by clergy.

The report also called for increased transparency, recommending better access for victims to relevant documents and criticizing the slow and secretive investigations conducted by the Vatican’s doctrine office (DDF). Colombian Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera highlighted that victims frequently expressed dissatisfaction regarding a lack of communication about their cases. Juan Carlos Cruz, a Chilean abuse survivor and commission member, added that this lack of information often re-traumatized survivors.

Other recommendations from the commission included the creation of a Vatican Ombudsman for victims, more effective disciplinary measures against offending clergy, and an invitation for Pope Francis to write an encyclical on child protection—the highest form of papal teaching.

Although this commission is the first of its kind in the Catholic Church, it has faced criticism from abuse survivors who regard it as ineffective, with several former members resigning in discontent. The commission, which comprises priests, nuns, laypeople, and non-Catholics, was incorporated into the DDF in 2022 to enhance its authority. However, the report noted ongoing difficulties in making its voice heard, citing a mere 20% response rate from Mexican bishops to a list of ten detailed questions on child protection.

U.S. Cardinal Sean O’Malley, who has led the commission since its creation and is approaching retirement, acknowledged frustrations over the slow pace of change but expressed hope that progress is being made.