OVIEDO, Spain (LifeSiteNews) — A Spanish bishop has openly criticized a government-backed agreement requiring the Catholic Church to compensate victims of clerical sex abuse.
On January 11, Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes published an article in the Spanish newspaper ABC opposing a new agreement with the government that obliges the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and religious orders to compensate victims of sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy, with the amount determined by the government or the national Public Advocate.
The agreement, signed on January 8, is a formal deal to compensate victims for sexual abuse committed in Church-related settings when legal action is no longer possible because the crimes are beyond the statute of limitations. Victims are instructed to submit claims to the state Public Advocate, who proposes the form and amount of compensation, which is paid by the Catholic Church. If there is disagreement, a joint commission of government, Church, and victims’ representatives reviews the case, and the Public Advocate’s proposal prevails if no consensus is reached.
The government presents the agreement as a way to address a “moral debt to victims,” while the bishops’ conference described it as a moral commitment, not a legal obligation.
In his article, titled “El des-acuerdo en los abusos de menores” (“The Dis-Agreement on Child Abuse”), Sanz Montes questioned the government’s decision to focus exclusively on abuse cases linked to Catholic clergy.
According to data, he argued, Catholic clerics are involved in approximately 0.2 percent of all child abuse cases, while the remaining 99.8 percent occur in other contexts, such as families, schools, sports organizations, and child protection centers.
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Sanz Montes argued that the proposed agreement would allow the government to determine the financial compensation for crimes and to designate the Catholic Church as the sole payer. He described this framework as selective and surprising, noting that it does not apply equally to other sectors where abuse has occurred.
“Many have been surprised by this arrangement in which the Government sets the price, selectively designates who must pay, and appoints the Public Advocate as arbiter – a Public Advocate for only part of the people, not for everyone,” Sanz Montes stated. “This is not a decision that the Executive is undertaking with all victims in mind, but only those who fall within the ranks of Catholic clergy.”
The archbishop also stressed that the Catholic Church in Spain has established offices in every diocese and within religious congregations to receive complaints, assist victims, and implement preventive measures, inspired by guidance from recent popes.
By contrast, he wrote that the Spanish government has not implemented comparable preventive, compensatory, or long-term support protocols for abuse occurring in state-run or secular environments, including public schools, family settings, sports associations, and government-supervised childcare facilities.
Archbishop Sanz Montes acknowledged explicitly that sexual abuse of minors is a grave crime and moral evil, particularly when committed by those who hold positions of moral authority. He affirmed that members of the Church have committed such crimes and stated that mechanisms have been put in place to investigate accusations, prevent future abuses, and ensure accountability for those who concealed or protected offenders.
He also noted that in some cases clergy have been falsely accused, and he stressed the need for procedural guarantees to protect against unfounded allegations while still prioritizing victims’ needs.
The Catholic Church in Spain has over the past decade, introduced internal procedures for reporting abuse, cooperating with civil authorities, and providing pastoral and psychological assistance to victims. The Plan de Reparación Integral a las Víctimas de Abusos sexuales de la Iglesia en España (PRIVA) is an internal Church program designed to provide comprehensive reparation to victims of sexual abuse committed in ecclesiastical settings.