Safeguarding culture
On 2 February we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation – of Jesus at the temple – Jesus’s first encounter with His people and acknowledgement that He belonged to the chosen people of God. The feast brings a message of hope and encouragement. It recognises in all the ‘messiness’ and struggle in our lives, there is confidence God has a plan for us.
This is important in our Church and society where we are confronted with a culture of past and present abuse – physical, sexual and emotional – and the legacy on all those affected. Abuse has been particularly damaging when there has been sexual abuse by clergy or religious.
As a response and sign of hope, New Zealand’s Catholic bishops and religious leaders want to develop a culture of ‘safeguarding’ within our Church and faith communities. An initial step is the development of a training and awareness programme for our priests, religious, staff and volunteers. The programme will help build an inclusive Church where everyone is safe – particularly children and vulnerable adults.
The early work has been delegated to the National Office of Professional Standards, responsible for overseeing the process of all abuse complaints received in the Catholic Church in New Zealand. As part of developing this safeguarding culture, CSS in Wellington has provided training for priests and pastoral leaders about good professional boundaries. We are also working with Maria Noonan, NOPS educator and leader, as she develops the programme and implementation plan. CSS and Maria are working in St Anne’s Parish, Newtown, as they begin to identify learning needs and structures helpful in a parish context.
The programme will encourage everyone in various church community roles to foster a safeguarding culture within our different faith communities. It involves understanding the fundamental values, beliefs and attitudes at the core of the Gospel message. This shapes our values and principles for a safe and nurturing environment so that in our ministry we may be a light to our wider society.