Vatican urges Asian Catholic leaders to adopt zero-tolerance abuse policy, strengthen safeguards at Philippines conference.
Newsroom (27/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo and Vatican officials have called on Catholic leaders across Asia to implement a “zero tolerance” policy on abuse, emphasizing stronger measures to protect minors and vulnerable adults. The directive was issued during the inaugural National Safeguarding Conference, held from October 20–24 in the Catholic-majority Philippines, which drew over 300 bishops, religious superiors, and lay experts.
In a message to the conference, Pope Leo underscored the Church’s unwavering stance against abuse. “There can be no tolerance for any form of abuse in the Church,” he declared, urging delegates to prioritize transparency and accountability in safeguarding policies, according to Vatican News. “The Church is our spiritual home. Every parish and pastoral activity must be a space that glorifies God and cares for others, especially children and the vulnerable.”
Titled “Our Mission of Safeguarding: A Journey of Hope and Compassion,” the conference was co-organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines, and the Manila-based Catholic Safeguarding Institute.
Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, urged Church leaders to embrace safeguarding as a “sacred responsibility rooted in virtue and conversion,” rather than a mere obligation. Speaking to attendees, the Colombian bishop called for a shift “from policy to practice,” advocating for independent reporting systems, trauma-informed formation programs, and collaboration with civil authorities and survivor groups.
“We must move from intention to implementation,” Herrera said, according to the Philippine bishops’ news website. He stressed the need for clear governance, regular evaluations, and transparent communication, while also highlighting emerging digital risks and the necessity for robust online safeguarding protocols.
Herrera framed child protection as a “shared moral imperative” extending beyond Church institutions. “Families, communities, governments, and religious traditions must unite to uphold human dignity,” he said, calling for parishes and schools to become “sanctuaries of safety.” He added, “Protection is a sign of conversion. It marks the journey from silence to truth, from denial to justice, from fear to hope.”
Coleen Rae Ramirez-Panahon, scientific director of the Catholic Safeguarding Institute, emphasized the conference’s historic significance. “In the past, this issue might have remained in the shadows and been seen as the responsibility of only a few,” she said. Effective protection, she noted, demands the “conversion and commitment of wider communities.”
The conference marks a pivotal step in aligning Asian dioceses with the Vatican’s global safeguarding reforms, signaling a unified push to address abuse with urgency and accountability.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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