The panel, which has been in place since the beginning of 2021, decides how much money abuse sufferers in the Catholic Church receive in recognition of the suffering inflicted on them.
According to the Commission’s annual report presented on Thursday, just over 93.2 million euros have been approved for this so far.
Last year alone, it was about 7.7 million euros in the area of so-called initial and subsequent applications. In addition, there were additional amounts for those concerned who had, for example, objected to an earlier Commission decision.
Individual sums above 250,000 euros
The procedure is based on an order adopted by the German bishops. When calculating the amount of performance, the Commission is guided by judgments of state courts on compensation for pain, namely on its upper margin.
There is no maximum limit. On average, those affected received around 33,500 euros; in 47 cases since the beginning of 2021, the total awarded was over 250,000 euros.
The number of initial applications stood at 186 in 2025, it said. This is a low and corresponds almost to a halving compared to the initial applications in 2024.
For comparison, 1,565 applications were registered in the first year of the UKA's existence, 2021. After 998 open transactions were still due to be decided at the end of 2024, this figure was reduced to 688 last year, according to the panel.
Confirmation by Pontifical Commission
UKA Chairwoman Margarete Reske expressed delight that her panel's work had received international recognition in the annual report of the Pontifical Anti-Abuse Commission 2025.
"The fact that, in addition to engagement in other countries, the German procedure for the recognition of suffering, which has been inflicted on those affected by sexual abuse, was positively appreciated with its broad participation of the dioceses and orders and the individual case-related activity of the UKA, we see as an encouragement and will continue to strive to continue on the path taken," the lawyer said.