Colombia’s Catholic bishops have issued updated national guidelines on the handling of sexual abuse cases, introducing stricter procedures and reinforcing the obligation to report allegations to civil authorities.
The Colombian bishops’ conference published two revised documents on April 6: a second edition of Cultura del Cuidado en la Iglesia Católica Colombiana: Líneas Guía, first issued in July 2022, and an updated version of Apóstoles del Cuidado: Líneas Operativas o Buenas Prácticas, which replaces a text released in August 2023. Approved during the episcopate’s plenary assembly in February, the documents are intended to function together, with the guiding text outlining principles and the operational text setting out concrete procedures.
