Pope Francis appointed Juan Carlos Cruz as a new member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, for a three-year term, reported the Holy See Press Office on March 24, 2021. Cruz is a Chilean communications professional and was a victim of clerical sexual abuse. He has made it his mission, as suggested on his Twitter account, to work toward stopping sexual abuse everywhere

Extension of Posts

Along with this nomination, the Vatican’s note said the Holy Father also extended by a year the mandate of the following Commission members: Monsignor Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, Father Hans Zollner, Sister Jane Vertelsen, Sister Arina Gonsalves, Sister Kayula Lesa, Sister Hermenegild Makoro, Professor Ernesto Caffo, Dr Gabriel Dy-Liacco, Professor Benyam Dawit Mezmur, Professor John Owen Neville, Nelson Giovannelli, Rosendo dos Santos, Hanna Suchocka, Professor Myriam Wijlens, Sinalelea Fe’ao and Teresa Kettlekamp Morris.

Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

On its official website, the Commission states that during its institution in 2014, Pope Francis said that he counted on its members “for the effective protection of vulnerable minors and adults, regardless of the religion they profess, because it’s the little ones that the Lord looks at with love.” “I ask my collaborators in this work to make every possible effort to help me respond to the needs of these little ones,” he continued.

“The Commission’s specific task is to propose the most opportune initiatives to me for the protection of vulnerable minors and adults, in order that we do everything possible so that crimes, such as those that occurred, are not repeated in the Church. The Commission must promote local responsibility in the particular Churches, uniting its efforts to those of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the protection of all vulnerable children and adults,” said the Pontiff.