On 23rd June, the Office for the Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults welcomed the Safeguarding Delegates of the Southern European Conference to the General Curia for a face-to-face meeting which offered the opportunity to share what is being done to fulfil Mandate 9 of the General Chapter of 2021.
It was a rich moment for the Director of Safeguarding, Br. Iurii Semko, and the Secretary of the Office, Br. Joseph Condren, to meet and get to know better those whose collaboration is so fundamental to the promotion of a culture of Safeguarding in our Order.
Spread over two days, the Delegates shared their experiences as well as receiving input on the workings of the Safeguarding Office, including the development of Safeguarding Policies in the Entities and what stages the policy goes through after it arrives initially in the Curia, until it is finally sent on to the General Definitory to receive the nihil obstat.
A glimpse of the future was offered when two of ten areas of the Universal Guidelines Framework from the Pontifical Commission for the Safeguarding of Minors were shared with the Delegates to indicate the revisions that will be necessary when policies are updated to conform with developing Church standards.
The second day began with a sweeping introduction to the roots of Safeguarding in Franciscan Spirituality, delivered by Br. Albert Schmucki, Definitor General and President of the International Safeguarding Commission of the Order. There followed a sharing by the Safeguarding Delegate from the Province of Ireland, Mary Tallon, who shared her experience of collaborating with the friars in this challenging field. In the afternoon, a very thorough and all-encompassing treatment of the topic of Safeguarding was given by the Minister General whose support is so critical to the growth of a culture of Safeguarding everywhere in our Order.
They were two demanding days with a great deal of input. But they were also days of fraternal celebration. There were special treats on the Tuesday on the Solemnity of the Birth of St John the Baptist, and on Wednesday for the celebration of the memory of San Massimo di Torino, the onomastico of Br. Massimo. The presence of our brothers from the Iberian Peninsula as well as those from the Provinces of Italy enriched those occasions.
As we parted company on Wednesday morning, all could return to our work of service with a deeper sense of fraternity from the personal encounters and the input received during this meeting.
Watch the Photos on Flickr
