now the laity who guide associations and movements are also responsible

Pope Francis updates the apostolic letter “Vos estis lux mundi” with which in 2019 he had set rules to follow when reporting sexual abuse. In the definition of victims, more attention is also paid to adults in situations of vulnerability.

Vatican City () – Almost four years after its entry into force, Pope Francis updated the regulations to combat the scourge of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. He did it with a new version of the apostolic letter “You are lux mundi“, published today. This is the 2019 document that sets the rules to follow in the face of complaints of crimes related to the Sixth Commandment, committed against minors or vulnerable people.

The most significant novelty is the extension of the application of the rules. Until now these were applied to clergy, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of Apostolic Life. Now, they are extended to lay people who play the role of “moderators of international associations of the faithful recognized or established by the Apostolic See”.

This means that from now on, the Catholic Church will also hold the laity accountable for any action or omission that interferes with or even impedes canonical and civil investigations against individuals guilty of pedophilia or other sexual abuse. This is an explicit call to associations of the faithful and Catholic movements to assume their responsibility in the fight against the phenomenon of abuse, which unfortunately in recent years has seen several serious cases arise even within these realities.

Another novelty refers to the definition of victims, which now includes vulnerable adults, in a clearer way. The text now expressly mentions “crimes against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue committed with a minor or with a person who habitually has an imperfect use of reason or with a vulnerable adult.” The intention is to protect the dignity of all defenseless people, regardless of their age. The new version of “You are lux mundi“It also specifies that dioceses and eparchies must create “organisms and offices” that are easily accessible to the public, where they can receive complaints of abuse – the old text referred more generically to the creation of “stable systems”.

“The crimes of sexual abuse offend Our Lord, cause physical, psychological and spiritual damage to the victims, and harm the community of the faithful”, Pope Francis wrote in 2019 in the preamble to this motu proprio, ratified in the new edition. “So that these cases, in all their forms, do not happen again, a continuous and profound conversion of hearts is needed, accompanied by concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church, so that personal holiness and moral commitment contribute to promoting the full credibility of the Gospel proclamation and the efficacy of the Church’s mission. Although much has already been done, we must continue to learn from the bitter lessons of the past, to look to the future with hope.”