Pope appoints bishop and laywoman to Pontifical Commission for Protection of Minors

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, Auxiliary Bishop of Bogota, as the new Secretary for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. He has also appointed Ms Teresa Morris Kettelkamp as Adjunct Secretary of the Commission. Both have been serving as Members of the Commission.

The new appointments were announced today by the Holy See Press Office.

In a statement following the announcement, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the President of the Commission, said the new appointments mark "a further important step in making our Church an ever-safer place for children and vulnerable persons."

Cardinal O'Malley said that, while "coming from different backgrounds and possessing unique gifts in safeguarding," the new Secretary and Adjunct Secretary "share a common passion for the well-being of children and vulnerable people, with lifetimes of service to the Church" in this field.

The President of the PCPM also expressed his gratitude to Fr Andrew Small, OMI, who has been serving on the Commission as Secretary pro tempore.

"With vision and tenacity, Fr Small has helped realize several important initiatives that the Commission has embraced," he said.

Cardinal O'Malley concluded his statement by highlighting Pope Francis' affirmation of the Commission's "expanded mandate" as well as its direction.

"With today's announcement, the Commission continues on this path of making safeguarding a stable part of every aspect of the Church's life and ministry," he said.

Bishop Ali Herrera was the director of the Psychological Orientation Area at the Conciliar Seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogota (2007 - 2015), where he also taught psychology of human development, social psychology, and pastoral psychology.

After graduating in theology from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogota (2003) he obtained a degree in psychology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome (2007). He is a senior associate of the Colegio Colombiano de Psicologos (Colombian School of Psychologists).

In 2015, Pope Francis nominated him Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bogota, and Titular Bishop of Giubalziana. Also in 2015 he was appointed to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

In 2021, he was nominated Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Colombia.

In 2022, Pope Francis reappointed him a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Teresa Morris Kettelkamp is a former Colonel with Illinois State Police. She is an expert in policies and guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults and former Executive Director of the USCCB Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection.

Teresa M Kettelkamp retired from Illinois State Police after 29 years with the rank of Colonel. At the time of her retirement, she headed the ISP's Division of Forensic Services: crime labs and crime scene services.

Previously, she headed the ISP's Division of Internal Investigation, which was responsible for the investigation of allegations of misconduct within the ISP, as well as in the agencies, boards and commissions under the executive branch of Illinois state government.

Teresa Kettelkamp retired from the ISP for the purpose of working for the Gavin Group, Inc. in conducting the first annual compliance audits of the United State's Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

She was appointed the Executive Director of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2005. She resigned from the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection in 2011 to do consulting work.

In January 2016, Teresa Kettelkamp moved to Rome to work for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Her focus at the PCPM was to work on universal guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults, as well the healing and care for victims and survivors.

In 2018, Pope Francis appointed her as a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors where she served as moderator for the working group focused on the healing of survivors as well as integrating their voices into the ministry of the Church.

In 2022, Pope Francis reappointed her a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.