Survivors of clergy abuse urge Vatican to expand zero-tolerance policy beyond US
Survivors of clergy sexual abuse called on the Vatican on Monday to extend the zero-tolerance policy adopted by the US Catholic Church in 2002 to apply to the global church, insisting that children worldwide deserve protection for predator priests.
The US standard was implemented during the peak of the abuse scandal in the country, and mandates that any priest found guilty of a single act of sexual abuse — whether admitted or proven under church law — be permanently removed from ministry.
Adopted by US bishops to restore credibility after Boston's abuse scandal was exposed by the Boston Globe's Spotlight series, the policy has since stood as one of the strictest in the Catholic Church.
Known as the "one strike and you're out" rule, the policy is seen by some as a benchmark for safeguarding, though it remains controversial.
Globalising zero-tolerance
Survivors argue that there is no reason these protections cannot be universal, given that the Holy See approved them for the US church.
"Despite Pope Francis' repeated calls for zero tolerance on abuse, his words have yet to lead to any real action," stated Gemma Hickey, a transgender survivor and president of the global survivor network Ending Clergy Abuse.
The proposal to expand the policy originated in Rome in June during a meeting that brought together survivors and leading Catholic figures, including Reverend Hans Zollner, a Vatican safeguarding expert, and Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, deputy head of the Vatican's child protection advisory board.
However, key Vatican offices such as the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which handles abuse cases, were notably absent from the press conference announcing it.
This absence was a signal that the proposal's chances are far from certain.
The US policy was only enacted after intense pressure on the Vatican from American bishops, backed by outraged congregants and insurers.
Experts like US canon lawyer Nicholas Cafardi believe globalising the policy is a logical next step in combating abuse.
"It seems to me that a good protection would be: 'Let's just make it a universal law,'" Cafardi said. "Once you have that law, you don't have to rely on bishops requesting it in every country — it simply becomes the rule."
However, opposition to a universal policy remains strong within the Vatican. Recent years have seen church authorities focus on "proportionality" in abuse sentences, reflecting a reluctance to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach.
Cultural sensitivities in regions where abuse is less openly discussed have resulted in lighter punishments for confirmed abuse — including actions that would have led to permanent removal from ministry if committed in the US.
