Archbishop of Panama asks victims for forgiveness: ‘We cannot remain silent in the face of abuse’

Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta asked victims for forgiveness during the presentation of a report on sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Panama. The report, titled Assessment of Institutional Responses (AIR) in cases of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable persons, covers the period between 2001 and 2025.

The Transparency Commission, an interdisciplinary group of independent experts, produced the report as part of a pilot project to address and prevent abuse in Church settings. The findings were presented on September 22 at the Santa María La Antigua University auditorium in Panama City.

Ulloa stated that the archdiocese cannot remain silent regarding abuse and expressed a desire to listen to complaints with respect and confidentiality. He noted that the archdiocese intends to report relevant allegations to civil authorities according to current laws. The archbishop said a culture of protection requires every priest, religious member, pastoral worker, and community member to accept the shared responsibility of protecting minors and vulnerable persons.