Monsignor John Joseph Kennedy, the Vatican official responsible for managing the Catholic Church’s response to abuse, revealed that 77% of the cases he handles involve child sexual abuse.
Speaking at a safeguarding conference organized by the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) in Rome last month, Kennedy discussed the responsibilities of the Disciplinary Office of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), where he serves as head.
Kennedy noted that the majority of cases processed by the Disciplinary Office pertain to the abuse of minors.
The CDF is now divided into two divisions: the Doctrinal Section and the Disciplinary Section.
Pope Francis initiated this reorganization in February 2022 through the motu proprio Fidem servare.
Each section operates independently under its own secretary.
The Disciplinary Section is tasked with addressing “reserved crimes,” which include severe offences such as sexual abuse, sacramental abuses, and false mysticism.
It also serves as the Supreme Apostolic Tribunal, exercising judicial authority in these matters.
Additionally, the Disciplinary Section provides training and guidance to local bishops and canon law practitioners to ensure proper understanding and enforcement of relevant canonical laws.
It oversees cases involving high-ranking clergy, including cardinals, patriarchs, papal legates, and bishops, in line with Church law.
Kennedy, who was ordained in Dublin in 1993, has worked within the CDF since 2003.
He has led its Disciplinary Office since 2017 and was appointed secretary of the Disciplinary Section by Pope Francis in April 2022.
In his role, Kennedy has dealt with reports of clerical abuse from around the globe.
In 2019, he disclosed that the reported cases had quadrupled since 2009, with the CDF handling 1,000 cases that year alone.
“We are currently facing an overwhelming number of cases, particularly from countries we had previously heard little from,” Kennedy said in 2019, describing the influx as a “tsunami” of reports.
During a rare public appearance that same year, Kennedy shared the emotional toll of his work.
“When reviewing cases of abuse by clergy, it’s impossible to become desensitized,” he admitted.
“The pain and suffering in these cases weigh heavily on your heart and soul.”
“There are moments when the sheer gravity of the cases makes me want to walk away—to leave my desk and never return,” Kennedy confessed, illustrating the profound challenges faced by those addressing these grave issues.
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