More than 900 people from 15 countries participated in the course organized by the Order’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults.
From the beginning of March until the end of July 2024, the six themes of this course, which was given in an online format, were developed.
The first topic, “Understanding Sexual Abuse in Childhood”, was presented by Carmen Montejo, medical doctor and member of the Commission of the Order.
The second topic, “Non-Sexual Abuse in the Church: Power, Conscience and Spiritual Abuse, and Adult Victims”, was given by Mª Rosaura González, professor at the Institute of Psychology of the Gregorian University.
The third topic, entitled “Prevention of Abuse in the Church”, was facilitated by Daniel Portillo, regional expert of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
The fourth topic, “Accompanying Victims and Survivors of Abuse in the Church,” was given by Javier Monroy, general counselor of the Order and psychotherapist and expert in trauma.
The fifth topic, “Justice and Reparation for Victims with a Restorative Approach”, was given by Mª Teresa Compte, professor of Social Doctrine of the Church and founder of the Betania Association for the Care of Victims.
Finally, the last topic, “Prevention of Abuse in Digital Environments”, was developed by Antonio Carrón, General Councilor of the Order and professor at the Institute of Anthropology of the Gregorian University.
“From the beginning of March until the end of July 2024, the six topics of this Course, which was delivered in an online format, were developed.”
Each of the topics had reading materials, assignments and online forums to share doubts and experiences.
The course is part of one of the atriums of the In Imum Cordis Training School, which addresses the area of the culture of care and protection.
In addition to the resources offered from the platform, monthly online sessions were held with specialists in each topic.
After the presentation, there was a space for questions that gave rise to interesting debates enriched by the different perspectives and cultural realities.
Among the participants in the course were professors, catechists, religious men and women of the Augustinian Recollect Family and other ecclesial environments from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, England, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
“The digital world has also been present, showing the risks and opportunities for education and evangelization.”
This first edition of the course aimed to train religious and lay people who work in pastoral settings of the Augustinian Recollect Family to promote good treatment and generate safe environments for children, adolescents and vulnerable adults.
In addition, it sought to deepen the knowledge of human vulnerability and the different types of abuse within the Church, including sexual and non-sexual, and to train pastoral agents and those responsible for abuse prevention, sensitizing them on the importance of accompaniment, justice and reparation for victims and survivors.
The digital world was also present, showing the risks and opportunities for education and evangelization.
Awareness and formation is one of the objectives of the Order’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults.
In addition to this course, the first edition of which is now coming to an end, other training initiatives are underway, such as the Introductory Course on Safe Environments, which is offered to all those who join an apostolic work of the Order.
“Awareness raising and training is one of the objectives of the Order’s Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults.”
The mission entrusted by the Church to the Augustinian Recollects is carried out mainly in parishes, educational centers, mission areas and social projects. In all these ministries, every day we share life and mission with thousands of people who place their trust in us to accompany them in the experience of faith and the celebration of the sacraments, to collaborate in the education of their children, to nourish themselves with Augustinian tradition and spirituality or to contribute to the construction of a more just world for all. The Augustinian Recollects want to guarantee that all these spaces of human relationships and places of coexistence are true environments where the integral development of the person is promoted and the culture of good treatment is cultivated.
The Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults of the Order is the organism that, depending on the Prior General, seeks to promote a culture of prevention, coordinating the plans and efforts that, in each province and at the local level, are being carried out.
The rest of the objectives and its composition are detailed on its website, where the contact information for consultations or complaints is also indicated.
More information on the Commission’s training proposals can be found on the In Imum Cordis Training School website. 