Awake Acknowledges Charter Revisions and Calls for Further Action by Church Leaders
On Thursday, June 11, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, commonly known as the “Dallas Charter,” at their spring plenary meeting in Orlando, Florida. The Charter has been revised multiple times, including in 2023 to include language about “vulnerable adults.”
These 2026 revisions include a glossary of terms, “in response to repeated requests from dioceses on having more consistent definitions of various terms,” said Bishop Barry C. Knestout, Chair of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, in his introductory remarks. Knestout said the revisions to the Charter were also informed by the revisions of Book VI of the Code of Canon Law and Vos Estis Lux Mundi, the 2019 papal decree that created new church laws and procedures for reporting and investigating sexual abuse by leaders in the Catholic Church.
However, as Awake Executive Director Sara Larson highlighted in a press release, these revisions do not expand the Charter to cover the abuse of adults by Catholic leaders.
“Adults continue to experience devastating abuse in situations of vulnerability like confession, spiritual direction, pastoral support, religious life, and employment. Safeguarding efforts have focused primarily on children, so there remain few consistent protections for adults who may experience abuses of power, trust, or authority,” she said. “We urge all dioceses to publicly acknowledge the reality of abuse of adults, establish clear, transparent, compassionate policies for responding to allegations, and offer care to those who have been harmed in this way.”
In his introduction to the proposed revisions, Knestout also shared that the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations “will develop a new document separate from the Charter focusing on standards of professional behavior for both clergy and laity with adults, including vulnerable adults.” Knestout did not provide details on the process or timeline for developing this document.
Larson also called for trauma-informed care in responding to survivors of abuse.
“Many survivors who interact with the Church continue to encounter responses that deepen their wounds. As recommended by the revised Charter, dioceses should ensure that bishops, clergy, diocesan staff, review boards, investigators, and others who interact with survivors receive ongoing formation in compassionate, trauma-informed practices.”
Church leaders should see survivors of abuse as not only people who deserve care, but also essential partners in creating a safer Church, Larson said.
“Their lived experience offers perspective that cannot be gained from policies alone. Dioceses should prioritize listening to survivors, learning from their expertise, and incorporating them into decision-making processes,” she said.
Every diocesan bishop has significant authority to strengthen protections, improve responses to survivors, and foster a culture of accountability within his own diocese, Larson said.
“Many of the changes survivors hope to see do not require national votes or new Church legislation. They require leadership, commitment, and a willingness to learn.
Awake encourages Church leaders throughout the United States to continue building upon the progress already made by extending safeguarding efforts to adults, implementing trauma-informed practices, and engaging survivors as valued partners in the Church's ongoing work of reform and healing.”
—Catherine Owers, Communications and Events Specialist
