VATICAN CITY — The Commission will host a European-focused webinar later this month examining one of the most complex and sensitive areas of safeguarding practice: the management of high-risk cases involving reassignment and restrictions on the exercise of ministry.

The online event, part of the European Safeguarding Toolkit series, will take place on Thursday 29 January 2026, from 16:00 to 17:30 CET, and is titled High-Risk Case Management: Reassignment and restrictions on the exercise of ministry.

The main speaker will be Prof. dr. Kurt Martens, Ordinary Professor and holder of the Stephan Kuttner Chair of Canon Law at the School of Canon Law, The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Martens is widely recognised for his expertise in canon law and church governance, particularly in areas where legal norms intersect with safeguarding responsibilities.

The webinar will be delivered in a plenary format, without working groups, in order to support multilingual participation across Europe. The session will place a strong emphasis on questions and answers, reflecting the urgency and practical complexity of the topic for Church leaders, safeguarding professionals and canon lawyers working in diverse legal and pastoral contexts.

The webinar forms part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen safeguarding capacity across Europe by addressing high-risk scenarios with clarity, consistency and accountability. Issues surrounding reassignment and restrictions on ministry remain a critical concern, particularly where safeguarding obligations, canonical procedures and pastoral considerations converge.

Registration for the webinar is open and available in multiple languages via the following link: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=c_6oqzQfxkOnEpJ1DkXJBCrJeEr6VYNDu-gZnWRlWyZUQ0pMTjUzOVlRMzc1SzU5RzZKVFI3WFg3Vy4u&route=shorturl