The Spanish Catholic Church has publicly acknowledged more than 1,000 religious figures accused of sexual abuse, marking the first time the institution has disclosed figures of this magnitude.
Francisco César García Magán, secretary general and spokesperson for the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), made the admission during a press conference on Friday, April 24, 2026, following the 129th Plenary Assembly of the CEE in Madrid.
According to García Magán, the Church has recorded 1,131 complaints of sexual abuse over the past five years, involving approximately 1,000 accused individuals.
The disclosure comes after the Spanish government, the CEE, and the Spanish Conference of Religious signed a protocol weeks earlier to establish a compensation system for victims of sexual abuse and pedophilia when judicial recourse is no longer possible.
During 2025 alone, 93 novel complaints were registered at the 262 minor protection offices established by dioceses and religious congregations across Spain.
In an effort to prevent future cases, the CEE conducted training programs last year attended by more than 465,000 people, including 7,712 priests and religious and 1,388 seminarians.
The acknowledgment represents a significant step in the Church’s transparency regarding abuse allegations, though the compensation protocol does not include indicative figures for potential payouts.
As the situation develops, Archysport will continue to monitor official updates from the Spanish Episcopal Conference and related ecclesiastical authorities.
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