As National Child Abuse Prevention Month nears a close, the Diocese of La Crosse this week shared a Bible verse and expounded upon it to impress upon its parishioners the importance of caring for youngsters.

“In Mark 10:14, Jesus says, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,’” the diocese posted on Facebook, then added its interpretation of that. “Children and young people are gifts from God and deserve to be safe from all harm, including abuse.” 

The United States recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Children's Bureau said the designation provides an opportunity to spread awareness about child abuse and highlight the importance of community collaboration in identifying and preventing abuse. 

The Catholic Church is doing its part to try to catch incidents of child abuse early. One way it does this is by having the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Protection of Children & Young People Committee conduct diocesan audits, offer resources for parishes, and provide support to the National Review Board and Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People. 

At a higher level, Pope Francis has taken an active role in promoting the responsibility of preventing abuse. Recently, he discussed the issue at the “Promoting child safeguarding in the time of COVID-19 and beyond” conference in Rome in November, the Vatican said. 

In that address, the Vatican said, the pope lamented the times at which Catholic adults have failed to protect the children in their care, describing the "pain and shame of not having always been good guardians, protecting the minors entrusted to us." 

He also renewed his call for Catholics to prioritize eradicating abuse in all forms. Pope Francis expressed his hope for Catholic adults entrusted with the care of children: "May they be promoters and custodians of a renewed educational alliance between the generations and between the different contexts in which minors grow up, capable of stimulating between them a generative and protective connection, especially in this complex time of the pandemic.”