The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, established by Pope Francis on 22 March 2014 to promote the protection of children and vulnerable adults, has lost its last founding member.

The resignation of Hans Zollner SJ from the Commission signals the ongoing failure of the Catholic Church to safeguard children and vulnerable people under its care.

In his resignation letter, Zollner cited a lack of compliance, inadequate financial accountability, insufficient transparency and a lack of clarity around decision-making and staff responsibilities.

According to Dr Christopher Longhurst, national leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) in Aotearoa New Zealand, these are the exact same institutional failures that survivors and advocates have experienced in the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand around safeguarding.

SNAP Aotearoa had contacted the Commission previously about the lack of compliance and accountability in the New Zealand Catholic Church’s safeguarding practice, though never received a reply.

Longhurst said the fact that Zollner, who has been a member of that Commission since its creation, is only now recognizing those failures, is an example of how slow Church people are to learn or accept this truth.

In February 2017, Commissioner Marie Collins also resigned stating: “there are still men at that level in the church who would resist or hinder work to protect children.”

"That this Commission has now lost its last founding member signals a serious blow to its credibility," Longhurst said.

SNAP Aotearoa

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