Integrity in Ministry – Ongoing Formation
On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, three speakers gave a presentation. Fathers Pawel Hulecki and Lowrent Kamwaza simultaneously presented the issue of integrity in ministry, while Fr. Aloysius Ssekamatte addressed the theme of ongoing formation and self-care.
Father Pawel led the first session, which began with a prayer incorporating extracts from the Capitular Acts related to integrity in ministry. He then moved on to the recommendations and elements from the Provinces and Sections’ reports. Here are some of the strong points he highlighted: many confreres feel free to share difficulties in their communities; confreres in difficulty are supported: rehabilitation, renewal courses, accompaniment; confreres with difficulties are accompanied locally, not sent back to home Provinces; most confreres have collaborated with the treatment programs; confreres received guidelines against financial scandals – awareness raised.
He then discussed a few weak points, including: some confreres refuse to share due to lack of confidentiality or judgmental attitudes; immediate assistance procedures may vary from one community to another; lack of clarity on long-term monitoring and evaluation of accompaniment effectiveness; lack of systematic monitoring or follow-up to ensure coherence; risk of financial mismanagement if confreres lack proper training or motivation.
Finally, he invited Fr. Lowrent Kamwaza, the Coordinator for Integrity in Ministry, to present his report.
Father Lowrent began by pointing out that the 2022 General Chapter coincided with the promulgation of the “Policy on the Prevention of Abuse and the Protection of Minors and Persons in Situations of Vulnerability” on May 13, 2022. He then presented the Coordination for Integrity in Ministry’s strategic plan for the period 2022-2028. The plan focuses on three aspects: prevention; intervention and management; as well as accompaniment and supervision for quality assurance. The Coordinator listed the many activities carried out by the Coordination and highlighted the challenges encountered in carrying out this function. He concluded with several recommendations: support the PEP/AMS sectors in integrating confreres into existing diocesan structures with established safeguarding frameworks; plan the succession of the Coordinator; consider a six-month training course for confreres in charge of CIM in the Provinces; audit and review the general policy; and finally implement the strategic plan for sessions in the remaining Provinces.
Father Aloysius Ssekamatte then addressed the subject of ongoing formation. His presentation was based on the Capitular Acts and on the report by Fr. Olivier Soma, Coordinator of the session for second-term confreres and self-care. Let us take up here the concluding remarks of his report. Regarding the session for confreres in the second term, he noted its significant contribution to their ongoing formation. “After six to nine years of missionary experience, it is generally welcomed and experienced by many as a moment of growth and renewal from the physical, psychological, intellectual and spiritual point of view”. On the subject of self-care, he stressed that this is first and foremost a personal responsibility. “The Confreres’ Self-Care Team aims to raise awareness among confreres of the importance of Self-care and share information that will help them to develop a holistic understanding of it”. However, the team needs the collaboration of all confreres.
Father Aloysius then addressed other aspects of ongoing formation, inviting Provincial Superiors and Delegate to send confreres to the various ongoing formation sessions. He presented the possibilities offered to confreres by the Society.
Father Barthélémy Bazemo, the AMS Provincial Superior, presided over the day’s Eucharistic celebration.
At the end of the day, participants praised the Coordinator for Integrity in Ministry for his commitment. We will also remember the Superior General’s remark: “Calling a confrere to account does not mean that we are not fraternal”. Regarding ongoing formation and self-care, participants were encouraged to make use of the opportunities offered by the Society with gratitude.
In the evening, the Plenary Council participants were invited to our theological formation house for vespers and dinner, as posted on the Society’s Facebook page.
By: Serge Zihalirwa Boroto, M.Afr.,
