Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa calls to turn care into decisions and concrete actions

At the closing of the IV Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Responsible for the Culture of Care, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa asked the bishops to personally assume the pastoral responsibility of preventing abuse, listening to victims, and ensuring safe, transparent, and trustworthy communities.

3 settembre 2026 di

Micaela Alejandra Díaz Miranda

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The IV Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of Responsible for the Culture of Care concluded with a call to the entire Church of Latin America and the Caribbean to turn the prevention and protection of people into a shared pastoral responsibility. In his closing message, the Archbishop of Panama and second vice president of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (Celam), Mons. José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, emphasized the need to move from the application of protocols to a transformation of attitudes, relationships, and ecclesiastical structures.

Under the slogan “The culture of care in the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean: a view from Magnifica Humanitas”, the meeting brought together bishops and responsible parties from the Episcopal Conferences, representatives of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious (CLAR), Caritas of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, as well as members of various commissions, networks, and ecclesiastical organizations.

Mons. Ulloa thanked, on behalf of Celam, the days of “listening, reflection, and fraternity” and emphasized that the diversity of participants enriched the meeting. In his opinion, the joint presence of the different expressions of the Church confirms that “the culture of care is a shared responsibility and a mission of the entire Church”.

The role of bishops cannot be delegated

One of the main calls of the message was directed to the bishops. The archbishop of Panama warned that, although churches can rely on professionals, commissions, and specialized teams, the ultimate pastoral responsibility belongs to those who exercise the episcopal ministry. “This responsibility is not delegated”, he said. And he added: “It is not enough to approve protocols or receive reports. We have to get involved, listen, accompany, supervise, and take decisions”.

For Mons. Ulloa, the teams responsible for prevention need the effective support of their pastors, while communities must perceive that the protection of people constitutes a pastoral priority. At the same time, he pointed out that victims need to find a Church willing to listen and act in response to what is reported. In this sense, he stated that the episcopal commitment must be expressed in actions such as ongoing formation, the proper functioning of structures, responsible listening, transparency, follow-up, and accountability.

“Wherever there is something to correct, let us have the humility to acknowledge it; where there is a wound, the closeness to accompany it; and where it is necessary to make difficult decisions, the courage to do so.”, he expressed. The archbishop related this responsibility directly to the exercise of the episcopal ministry: “This is also shepherding.”. And he added that the authority of bishops finds “one of its most evangelical expressions” when it is put at the service of the dignity and protection of the people entrusted to their care.

What should I do as a bishop?

Upon returning to their dioceses, Mons. Ulloa proposed that each bishop take with them the question: “What should I do, as a bishop, to make my particular Church increasingly safe, transparent, and trustworthy?”.

The reflection of the meeting, he noted, allowed a return to a fundamental conviction in light of the encyclical Magnifica humanitas: the person and their inviolable dignity must occupy the center. “This conviction must guide our decisions, our structures, our relationships, and our evangelizing action,”, he said.

With this approach, the culture of care cannot be reduced to administrative procedures. The challenge, he explained, is to achieve that it becomes a concrete way of living and exercising the ecclesial mission.

“Your pain matters to us”: the call to listen to the victims.

The closing message reserved a special place for the victims and survivors of abuse. Mons. Ulloa stated that the Church must direct towards them “its gaze and its heart.”, recognizing that their testimonies challenge the entire ecclesial community.

“We want to humbly tell you: your pain matters to us, your words challenge us, and your story commits us. We do not want you to be alone.”, he exclaimed.

The archbishop also thanked those who have had the courage to speak and contribute to the Church's recognition of realities that, at times, “we did not know or did not want to see.” In light of these situations, he pointed out that the response must include listening, accompanying, seeking the truth, acting with justice, and making reparations “as much as possible.”

From protocols to a culture that transforms the Church

“Our challenge is clear: to move from protocols to a true culture of care. Protocols are necessary, but not sufficient.”, he stated.

To achieve this goal, he considered it necessary to transform attitudes, relationships, and structures until care ceases to be merely a set of rules and procedures and becomes “a true way of being Church.”.

The archbishop also highlighted the diversity of realities that coexist in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico (CAMEX) regions, the Bolivarian countries, and the Southern Cone present different contexts, but share a common mission in terms of care and protection. “This network is a strength: let us learn from one another, support each other, and move forward together.”, he noted.

Hope to rebuild trust.

Mons. Ulloa invited the participants to return to their particular Churches with the faces and stories heard during these days and with a renewed responsibility. The goal, he said, is that each person, “especially children, adolescents, and vulnerable people”, finds communities where their dignity is respected and protected.

The message concluded with an invitation to return to the communities with hope: “Not because everything is resolved, but because we believe it is possible to heal wounds, rebuild trust, and grow a more humble, close, and transparent Church.”

Mons. Ulloa also expressed a wish for the ecclesial communities: “That no victim finds silence, indifference, or loneliness.”. Finally, he entrusted the path taken to Mary, Mother of the Church, and asked the Lord “the courage to turn what has been reflected upon in these days into concrete decisions and actions.”.

“May the culture of care increasingly be a visible face of the Gospel in our Church,”, concluded the second vice president of Celam.