Catholic Church must do more to help sexual abuse survivors and hold church leaders to account, hard

Pope Leo XIV speaks at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' ceremony for World Food Day in Rome, Italy, on Thursday, October 16. Remo Casilli/Reuters

A Vatican commission for the protection of children has said the mishandling by the Catholic Church’s leaders of sexual abuse allegations involving clergy is causing “ongoing harm” to victims, in a hard-hitting report released Thursday.

The report also called out parts of Italy and Africa for failing to implement robust anti-abuse measures.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which released its second annual report on October 16 called for greater transparency from the Vatican and noted with “concern” that survivors often perceive the church’s central administration as “lacking in sensitivi