Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, the pontifical commission’s secretary, said that safeguarding is “not the work of a ‘lone ranger’ ... No; it is the work of the Church, and it is an evangelistic responsibility to make our Church a safe space and home.”
Bishop Herrera discussed the commission’s recent Universal Guidelines Framework and said he had “a very sincere and enriching dialogue with the bishops and religious conferences” about the framework.
Creating a culture of care, along with a shared responsibility toward transparency and reparation were among themes discussed by the participants from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Bishops, priests, religious and lay men and women representing dioceses, religious orders and Catholic organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to discuss the Church’s commitment to Safeguarding and protecting minors and vulnerable adults.
The meeting, which was sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), was held in Bogotá, Colombia from September 3-5 and reflected on the theme: “The Culture of Care in the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean: Sharing the Path of Transparency and Reparation.”
Among those present was Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, who participated at the three-day conference as a guest speaker.
In a video message recorded during the conference, Bishop Alí Herrera highlighted the collaborative spirit at the meeting and emphasized that Safeguarding “is not the work of a ‘lone ranger,’” nor is it a job a person does “because he or she likes it.”
“No; it is the work of the Church, and it is an evangelistic responsibility to make our Church a safe space and home,” he said.
“We all have the responsibility to be witnesses; that any parent who places in our hands their children’s future can have the certainty that we trust completely in the Lord’s words: ‘Let the children come to me’ and we are going to protect, respect, love and announce the Gospel of Jesus.”
Promoting a Culture of Care
In his opening address at the conference, Auxiliary Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrera of Cuzco, Peru, CELAM secretary general, encouraged participants to share their experiences and good practices “to trace in synodality a path that will allow the whole region to implement policies of transparency to create safe ecclesial environments.”
He also urged the representatives of the various bishops’ conferences, as well as the religious and lay men and women present to “reaffirm their willingness to work together to prevent future cases of abuse and help victims recover.”
Over 40 representatives from 22 Bishops Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean, serving in National Safeguarding Commissions, the Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Culture of Care, the Latin American Confederation of religious orders (CLAR), as well as Catholic organizations, including Caritas Latin America, participated at the event.
At the conference, participants had an opportunity to share and discuss the challenges and progress made in their respective dioceses in implementing Safeguarding initiatives and policies.
They also discussed the scourge of sexual abuse, the legal and canonical aspects within the context of their countries, and the importance of networking with one another to create a culture of care and ensure that the Church becomes a safe space for children and vulnerable adults.
At the conference, Bishop Alí Herrera presented the Universal Guidelines Framework (UGF), which aim to enhance pastoral capacities in the area of Safeguarding, and protocols to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. He also updated participants on the forthcoming publication of the Commission’s Annual Report.
Summarizing his experience at the meeting, the Commission secretary said the three-day conference provided a space to have “a very sincere and enriching dialogue with the bishops and religious conferences on the Universal Guidelines Framework.”
“It is very valuable to listen to the challenges on the ground in each of the countries,” Bishop Alí Herrera said. “I have seen that in Latin America we are growing a network, and I am taking some homework back to Rome to continue working and discussing specific aspects with them.”