"Harming a victim is harming the image of God": Vatican Secretary for Protection of Minors

The prelate shared that his pastoral perspective on this issue changed completely after hearing the testimony of a person who had suffered abuse.

“I had read, studied, and analyzed it. But it’s another thing entirely to be faced with the real pain, the tears, the despair of someone who has been deeply wounded. That transformed me,” he related.

For the commission’s secretary, a key part of the work of prevention begins with adequate psycho-affective formation of a candidate for the priesthood beginning at the very outset of seminary.

“Affective, communal, and sexual formation must be present from the preparatory phase to the end of theological formation. It must be across the board, continuous, and closely connected to the emotional world and interpersonal relationships,” he noted.

Regarding the impact of the abuse crisis on priestly vocations, Alí acknowledged that it has had painful but also positive effects.

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“It has had an impact, because many pull back [from considering a priestly vocation] when they see news of cases. But it has also helped, because it has forced us to rethink vocation ministry and recognize that the priest is, above all, a human person, with wounds, crises, and emotions that he must learn to integrate,” the bishop explained.

Impact of Rupnik 

Regarding decisions such as that taken by the shrine at Lourdes, which this past March covered up the murals of the artist and former Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik, who is accused of serial sexual abuse, Alí believes it is necessary to act with discernment and empathy.

“Art can heal, but it can also retraumatize. It’s not about condemning beforehand but rather putting oneself in the shoes of the victims and not triggering their pain with gestures that may be insensitive,” Alí indicated.

With a clear appeal to the entire Church, Alí concluded: True reparation only begins when those who have suffered are truly listened to. “That listening, that closeness, is the first step toward restoring what has been broken: the image of God in each victim.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Diego Lopez Marina has a degree in Communication Sciences with a specialization in journalism from the University of San Martín de Porres (Peru). He began his professional career in 2015, as an editor for the Journalistic Archive area of the Diario El Comercio. In 2016 he began working as an writer for ACI Prensa and since 2018 he has been working as a web editor.