Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, president of the Pontifical Gregorian University's Institute of Anthropology's Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care, poses for a photo during a safeguarding conference held at the university in Rome June 18, 2024. (CNS photo/Justin McLellan) 
Child protection expert Hans Zollner warns: Bishops must not hide behind legal deadlines. The Church must deal openly with cases of abuse and must not undermine its moral standards.
The German child protection expert Hans Zollner appeals to the moral duty of church representatives when dealing with abuse. The Church must not forget that it cannot only provide a legal response to cases of abuse, Zollner told the Hungarian online portal “telex.hu” on Monday. “We also have a duty to provide a moral and spiritual response.”
Zollner made his comments in the context of the judicial reappraisal of sexual violence in the Catholic Church. “Before a secular court, the bishops usually invoke the statute of limitations, while the victims argue that the church is not allowed to invoke it.” Anyone who takes legal action will receive a legal response to the respective case, according to the abuse expert. It is therefore important that victims can turn to well-informed and competent counsellors. The church must create a safe environment for them – and safe procedures, said Zollner. As a community, the church is responsible for these victims and the abuse.
Need for open communication
Zollner also advocated open communication. “Every report, every form of communication is important, we need to talk about the fact that these cases of abuse took place.” It is important to talk about what exactly happened. “Catholics must be able to face the truth and admit what happened. Only then can we achieve forgiveness.” This is why dealing openly with the public is part of coming to terms with the past.
Zollner is a Jesuit and Director of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He heads the “Centre for Child Protection” (Institute for the Protection of Minors from Abuse). In 2023, he resigned from the Pontifical Child Protection Commission after extensive criticism of its working methods.