Who We Are
Work grounded in established principles
What we do
We assess the institutional management and response of abuse cases from the point of view of six disciplines: legal-canonical, clinical, accountability, theological-pastoral, socio-cultural, and communication.
Who we are
An international and interdisciplinary group of experts from eight countries. All are independent of the institutions they assess.
Why this work
Abuse of minors and vulnerable persons leaves deep and lasting wounds. Its effects remain with victims and survivors throughout their lives and extend to their families and communities.
The Church’s response must begin with truth: establishing (through testimony, documentation, and other evidence) what happened and how the institution responded. That truth must then lead to action. The harm perpetrated in the past must be fully recognized before meaningful steps can be taken to address it, restore trust, and prevent future abuse.
The Transparency Commission helps Church institutions undertake this internal transformation by developing a thorough understanding of what happened and using those findings to identify the institutional changes needed to address past harm and prevent its recurrence.
The Commission does not act in response to scandal or external complaints. Rather, institutions voluntarily convene it as a proactive exercise of institutional responsibility.