A new report from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) shows a continued decline in clergy abuse allegations across the Catholic Church in America.
Covering the period from July 2023 to June 2024, the Annual Report on the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People recorded 902 new allegations from 855 survivors, a drop of over 400 compared to the previous year.
The report, compiled from audits by StoneBridge Business Partners and survey data by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), found that 84 per cent of the alleged offenders were already deceased, laicised or removed from ministry.
Eleven clergy members were permanently removed from ministry during the year, and just one remained active pending investigation.
The report also highlighted the Church’s ongoing efforts to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
More than 2.2 million adults and 2.8 million young people received abuse prevention training in 2024, while over 2.2 million background checks were carried out on clergy, staff and volunteers.
Out of 196 dioceses and eparchies, 195 participated in the audit.
Of those, four were found non-compliant with some aspects of the safeguarding charter.
The report states: “The audit and continued application of zero-tolerance policies are two important tools in the Church’s broader commitment to create a culture of protection and healing that exceeds the requirements of the Charter.”