In May 2019, Pope Francis released his apostolic letter, Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the light of the world”), to address the issue of sexual abuse and bishop accountability in the global Catholic Church. Vos estis lux mundi calls upon the metropolitan archbishops to undertake the responsibilities for receiving and assessing reports involving bishops that pertain to sexual abuse and related misconduct. In June 2019, one month after Pope Francis issued his order, the bishops of the United States convened for their general assembly in Baltimore and approved the implementation plan for carrying out the directives of the Holy Father here in the United States.
As part of this ongoing commitment to carrying out Vos estis lux mundi, the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service (CBAR) was established. Convercent Inc., an independent, third-party entity, provides intake services to private institutions for reports of sensitive topics such as sexual harassment through a secure, confidential, and professional platform. Individuals may go to ReportBishopAbuse.org to make a report or call 800) 276-1562.
It is important to note that complaints submitted to CBAR should pertain to a Bishop’s sexual misconduct. See the attached Frequently Asked Questions for more information. CBAR does not accept complaints about theological concerns, liturgical abuses, church closings, priest assignments, etc.
CBAR does not replace existing reporting systems for complaints against priests, deacons, religious or laity. CBAR responds only to claims against bishops for issues related to sexual misconduct.