The training course entitled “Good treatment, prevention and redress of abuse in pastoral settings” organized by the Order’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults has reached its halfway point. With 984 participants from 15 countries, the course is preparing for its final stretch and to continue training people committed to creating safe environments.
Its objective is to train religious, lay people and collaborators of the Augustinian Recollect Family in the promotion of good treatment and the generation of safe environments for children, adolescents and adults. In addition, it seeks to deepen the understanding of human vulnerability and the various types of abuse in the Church and to contribute to training for prevention and awareness of justice and reparation for victims.
Carmen Montejo, coordinator of the course together with Fr. Antonio Carrónand speaker of the first topic ‘Understanding Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA)’, has shared his impressions on the progress of the program: “I am very pleased with the progress of the program.I believe that the course is fulfilling the objectives of bringing us closer to the reality of abuse and being able to reflect and dialogue together on such a critical issue in our Church. The participants value and are grateful for this training resource, and express their commitment to put the lessons learned into practice in the different pastoral environments of the Order. He added that we are also surprised and grateful for the quality of the presentations and for the response and involvement of the students”.
So far, three fundamental themes have been developed:
- Topic 1: Understanding Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), presented by Carmen Montejo.
- Theme 2: Non-sexual abuse in the Church: of power, conscience and spiritual abuse. Adult victims, by the coordinator of the Commission of Care and Protection of the Latin American Confederation of Religious (CLAR), Mª Rosaura González Casas.
- Topic 3: Prevention of abuse in the Church, by the regional expert for the Americas of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Daniel Portillo.
The next sessions, scheduled for June 15 and July 13, will deal with victim accompaniment and restorative justice and reparation. These final modules will be crucial to complete the training of the participants.
The course not only focuses on theoretical training, but also incorporates practical exercises and group reflections to ensure a deep and applicable understanding in various pastoral contexts. The participation of almost 1000 people from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, England, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, underlines the relevance and necessity of this formation in today’s Church.
As it nears its conclusion, organizers and participants continue to work with dedication and hope for lasting change.
