On 5th June 2025, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) was received in audience by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The hour long meeting marked a significant moment of reflection, dialogue, and renewal of the Church’s unwavering commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people. 

It is with humility and hope that we continue the mission first entrusted to us by Pope Francis in Praedicate Evangelium: to advise the Supreme Pontiff in the development and promotion of universal safeguarding standards, and to accompany the Church in building a culture of accountability, justice, and compassion. 

At the meeting with Pope Leo, Commission members reaffirmed their commitment to listening, walking with victims and survivors, and supporting every Church community in their efforts to safeguard all of God’s people with compassion. The conversation also covered:

• how, over the past two years, the Commission has undertaken a wide-reaching process to develop a set of Universal Guidelines Framework for Safeguarding (UGF), in close consultation with Church leaders, safeguarding professionals, survivors of abuse, and pastoral workers from across the globe.
• progress in the Memorare Initiative, a capacity-building program designed to support local churches—particularly in the Global South—in their efforts to protect minors and care f or victims of abuse
• the development and impact of the Annual Report, a cornerstone of its mandate. First proposed by Pope Francis in 2022, the Report is designed to evaluate the safeguarding capacity of local churches, offering practical recommendations grounded in the lived realities of each region.