VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Amid renewed tensions between the Vatican and traditionalist Catholics over the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo XIV defended Church reform as a legitimate process that adapts to current needs while remaining rooted in authentic tradition.

During his May 27 general audience in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said authentic renewal of the liturgy is acceptable and encouraged when the Church first engages in careful theological and pastoral study and then makes sure that “any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing." 

"In a particular way, I encourage everyone to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness and with sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion," he said in his address to English speakers.

His remarks came weeks after the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X announced plans to move forward with ordaining new bishops without papal approval, despite warnings from the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that such an act would be schismatic and carry automatic excommunication for the members involved in performing and receiving the consecrations.

In a May 13 statement published by the dicastery's prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández warned that "this action will constitute ‘a schismatic act’" and that "formal adherence to the schism constitutes a grave offense against God and entails the excommunication established by the law of the Church."

Founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the Society of St. Pius X has long opposed several teachings and reforms associated with Vatican II, particularly regarding the liturgy, ecumenism and religious liberty. Earlier this year, the group announced plans to consecrate bishops without papal authorization July 1, a move that would deepen its rupture with Rome.

In February, SSPX Superior General Father Davide Pagliarani, who resides at the society's headquarters in Switzerland, met with Cardinal Fernández, but the society later reaffirmed its intention to proceed with the consecrations.

Addressing French-speaking visitors during the general audience -, the pope prayed  that "a liturgical renewal, faithful to the authentic tradition, may consolidate ecclesial communion and the full participation of the faithful."

Throughout his general audience catechesis, Pope Leo repeatedly framed liturgical reform as part of the Church’s living tradition rather than a break from the past.

Quoting Pope Pius XII and the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, "Sacrosanctum Concilium," the pope said the Church "grows, matures, develops" while safeguarding the integrity of doctrine. He also reiterated the council’s call to preserve "sound tradition" while remaining open to "legitimate progress."

The pope said changes within the liturgy had taken place throughout the Church’s history in order to help the faithful participate more fully in the Paschal mystery and to allow the Church’s worship to become embodied within different cultures throughout history.

"Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth," he said.

Citing Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Leo said tradition and progress should not be viewed as opposites, recalling Benedict’s image of tradition as "a river" that carries its source within itself while continuing to flow forward.

At the same time, the pope stressed that any reform within the Church must be approached carefully and with ecclesial authority. Referencing "Sacrosanctum Concilium," he said reforms should only occur when "the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them" and after "careful theological, historical and pastoral" study.

"I therefore urge all those called to prepare the celebration of the divine mysteries, in particular

priests who exercise the ministry of liturgical presidency, to always uphold that respect for the texts and regulations of the liturgy which springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before His greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion," he said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection has released the 2025 Annual Report – Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The report is based on the audit findings of StoneBridge Business Partners, a consulting firm which provides forensic, internal, and compliance audit services. A survey regarding allegations of abuse of minors and costs that is annually conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University is also included as a part of the report. 

This is the twenty-third such report since 2002 when the U.S. bishops established and adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, a comprehensive framework of procedures to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy and establish protocols to protect children and young people.

The 2025 report covers July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. During that period, 1,070 allegations were reported by 973 victims-survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy throughout 194 Catholic dioceses and eparchies that reported information. This is an increase of 168 allegations reported in the previous audit year. Allegations received as a result of lawsuits, compensation programs, and bankruptcies, make up approximately 60% of allegations during 2025. Out of the 1,070 allegations, a total of 727, or 68%, were brought to the attention of the diocesan/eparchial representatives through an attorney, making this the principal reporting method during the 2025 audit period. Allegations made by spouses, relatives, or other representatives such as other dioceses/eparchies, religious orders, clergy members, or law enforcement officials on behalf of the victim-survivor were additional methods of reporting, totaling 112 allegations. The remaining 231 allegations were made by self-disclosure.

During the current audit period, dioceses/eparchies provided outreach and support services to 150 victim-survivors and their families who reported during this audit period. Continued support was provided to 1,331 victim-survivors and their families who reported abuse in prior audit periods. The report notes the ongoing work of the Catholic Church in continuing the call to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. In 2025, the Church conducted 2,320,143 background checks on clergy, employees, and volunteers. Additionally, in 2025, there were 2,328,545 adults and 2,803,250 children and youth trained in how to identify the warning signs of abuse and how to report those signs.

For the 2024 audit year, 194 of 196 dioceses/eparchies fully participated in the 2025 data collection process and two dioceses did not participate. StoneBridge physically visited 36 dioceses/eparchies and utilized remote technologies to perform 25 additional remote visits to dioceses and eparchies, for a total of 61on-site audit visits and collected data from an additional 133 others. Of the 61 dioceses/eparchies that participated in the on-site audits that took place between March and December 2025, there was one finding of non-compliance with certain aspects of the Charter involving one location. Compliance with the Charter was determined based on implementation efforts from the date of the last audit visit through 2025.

CARA completed their data collection for the 2025 annual survey in January 2026. All but five of the 196 dioceses and eparchies of the USCCB completed the survey, for a response rate of 97%. The findings indicate that among 89 alleged perpetrators that were classified, nine-tenths of the alleged offenders identified between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, are deceased, already removed from ministry, already laicized, or missing (89%). Another 10 priests or deacons identified during fiscal year 2025 were permanently removed from ministry during that time (11%). There were no offenders that were temporarily removed from ministry pending investigation of the allegations. Nor were there any alleged offenders that remained in active ministry during that fiscal year pending the investigation. 

For the 2025 audit period, there was one finding of non-compliance with certain articles of the Charter involving one diocese: The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux was found to be non-compliant with Article 2 due to the Diocesan Review Board not meeting since October 17, 2023. Subsequent to the audit period, the Diocese convened a meeting of the Diocesan Review Board, bringing the Diocese into compliance with Article 2 of the Charter. The following dioceses/eparchies did not participate in either the on-site audit or data collection process, thus no information on these locations could be included in this report: Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians (OH) and Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Eparchy in the USA.

The USCCB’s Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People and the National Review Board continue to emphasize that the audit and continued application of zero-tolerance policies are two important tools in the Catholic Church’s broader commitment to create a culture of protection and healing that exceeds the requirements of the Charter. 

This most recent annual report, and all previously published annual reports, may be found on the USCCB website: https://www.usccb.org/offices/child-and-youth-protection/audits. Additional information on diocesan requirements for the protection of children and young people may be found here. 

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