The secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Colombian Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, acknowledges that victims of abuse by clergy complain of a «lack of celerity,» as he stated in an interview with EFE. He ensures that cases like that of Bishop of Cádiz, Rafael Zornoza, are being closely monitored to identify failures in the process.
The Commission, instituted by Pope Francis in 2014, has just presented its second annual report on the actions of the Catholic Church in the protection of minors, based on information gathered from episcopal conferences and the testimonies of victims they have listened to. Ali says that steps forward have been taken.
Progress has been made, he indicates, in the «inclusion of victims» and in listening to them about «what the Church must do in all that is prevention and reparation».
However, he also explained that in this second report, it is once again confirmed that «all these prevention efforts in the Church are still processes that are not systemic, not uniform; some local churches have years of experience, others are starting, and others still resist».
«This invites us to work ever more so that prevention and guardianship may truly have a privileged place in all the evangelizing agendas of the local churches,» he affirms.
Although the Colombian bishop—who is also a psychologist and has been with the commission for ten years and as its secretary for a year and a half—laments: «Sometimes we find that in some regions this is still a second-level issue and not a priority».
Ali states that in some local churches «there is still a lack of attention to the victims. We see that he is very interested and very committed to these issues and these dynamics,» he assures.
He highlights that he has already met with the commission three times and has received groups of victims.
«Because tears do not wait, and that is why it is necessary to have attention,» laments Ali, who highlights the need to improve processes in agility, transparency, and communication.
Regarding the situation in Latin America, he acknowledges that for the moment there is a lack of data, as the information they receive is gathered during the 'ad limina' visits, which the episcopal conferences of the countries make to the pope every 5 years.
«And note that the meeting with the Belgians lasted 3 hours,» he stated.
In response to the news of the investigation into the Bishop of Cádiz for abuse of a minor in the 90s when he directed the Seminary of Getafe (Madrid), he explains that these types of cases are followed «with great attention because what is of interest is to know where there was some systemic failure, where there was some failure in the processes».
Because «one of the complaints we have also received from the victims is the lack of celerity,» he admits.
«There are times when processes are carried out, but with times that do not respond to the urgency of a wound, to the urgency of a pain. We cannot listen to a victim in 15 minutes».
Regarding the new pontiff, this Colombian bishop ensures that Leo XIV, «with a canonical formation and a sensitivity for all his work as superior of the Augustinians and then as prefect of the bishops, also understands that it is necessary to perfect those juridical and canonical processes».
«And yes».
