The Government, the Catholic Church and the Ombudsman continue working in the final phase of an agreement aimed at repairing the victims of sexual abuse committed within the Church. The negotiations are already at an advanced stage, with the aim of closing an agreement that responds to a historical demand of the victims.
This future agreement seeks to establish a common framework that contemplates different forms of reparation. Among them are economic compensations, institutional recognition measures, and psychological and social support mechanisms. The initiative is framed within the recommendations issued by the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, after the investigation into abuses in the Church, which highlighted the need for a comprehensive response.
The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños, has underlined the importance of this process, highlighting the “will to agree” between the parties. As he has pointed out, the objective is to offer a “just and dignified” response to the victims.
On behalf of the Church, the secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, Luis Argüello, has acknowledged the progress in the conversations, although he has emphasized the complexity of defining key aspects such as the criteria for access to compensation or the financing of the system. The Episcopal Conference actively participates in the elaboration of the framework, along with other ecclesial institutions.
In this regard, the Spanish Conference of Religious (CONFER), chaired by Jesús Díaz Sariego, which represents numerous congregations, also intervenes. From this entity, the willingness to collaborate in a model that takes into account the diversity of situations and guarantees effective reparation has been conveyed.
Although a specific date for the signing has not yet been set, the parties agree on the need to close the agreement as soon as possible. Meanwhile, victims' associations insist that the outcome must go beyond the symbolic and translate into concrete, accessible, and sufficient measures.
