Pope urges Catholic leaders across Asia to adopt 'zero tolerance' stance on abuse

(OSV News) -- Pope Leo XIV and Vatican officials have urged Catholic leaders across Asia to adopt a "zero tolerance" stance on abuse and called on them to strengthen measures to protect minors and vulnerable adults.

The appeal came during the first National Safeguarding Conference, held in the Catholic-majority Philippines Oct. 20–24, with more than 300 bishops, religious superiors and lay experts in attendance.

Pope Leo, in a message to the conference, reiterated that "there can be no tolerance for any form of abuse in the Church," urging delegates to promote transparency and accountability in safeguarding policies.

"The Church is our spiritual home, as such every parish and pastoral activity is meant to be a space in which we glorify God and care for others, especially children and the vulnerable," the pope said, as reported by Vatican News.

The conference, titled "Our Mission of Safeguarding: A Journey of Hope and Compassion," was organized jointly by the bishops' conference of the Philippines, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Conference of Major Superiors of the Philippines and the Catholic Safeguarding Institute based in Manila.

Colombian Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, commission secretary, told church leaders to approach safeguarding "not out of fear or obligation, but as a sacred responsibility rooted in virtue and conversion."

"Accept this mission not as a burden imposed from outside, but as a pastoral urgency to be lived with authenticity," the bishop said at the conference in Clark, in the Pampanga province, according to the Philippine bishops' website.

Bishop Herrera called for a move "from intention to implementation," pushing for concrete actions such as independent reporting systems, trauma-informed formation, and strict adherence to civil and church laws.

"We must establish clear policies and governance structures, including independent reporting channels," he said. "We must collaborate with survivor groups, civil authorities and professional bodies, committing to periodic evaluations and transparent communication."

He also warned of growing digital risks, calling on the church to develop robust online safeguarding protocols.

Bishop Herrera emphasized that child protection is "a shared moral imperative," not limited to church institutions. "Families, communities, governments and religious traditions must unite to uphold human dignity," he said.

He urged church and civil society leaders to work together so that parishes and schools become sanctuaries of safety "in a spirit of mutual respect and shared responsibility."

"Protection is a sign of conversion," Bishop Herrera said. "It marks the journey from silence to truth, from denial to justice, from fear to hope."

Coleen Rae Ramirez-Panahon, scientific director of the Catholic Safeguarding Institute, said the landmark conference underscored that safeguarding "is a mission shared by all."

"In the past, this issue might have remained in the shadows and been seen as the responsibility of only a few," she said. Ensuring effective protection, she added, requires the "conversion and commitment of wider communities."

The pope also urged participants to implement "essential policies and practices that ensure transparency in dealing with cases, foster a culture of prevention and safeguard 'these little ones' of the Lord."

"In doing so," he encouraged, "the church in the Philippines and beyond will be a more authentic witness of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who always loves and cares for his flock."