Cardinal O'Malley acknowledges 'growing pains' of papal abuse commission (CNA)

The Vatican’s special commission on sexual abuse has shifted its focus “toward a more impact-focused direction.”

Cardinal Sean O’Malley, who chairs the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, reported that at a meeting in Rome last week, the panel approved new policies aimed at “a human-centered design methodology that focuses on how the needs of victims and survivors can be prioritized and addressed in the Church’s reporting mechanisms with the purpose of offering proposals to the Holy Father on how gaps can be addressed.”

Although he spoke in general terms about the commission’s work, Cardinal O’Malley indirectly acknowledged recent criticism of the body, saying that an “accelerated pace over the last six months has caused growing pains.”