News archive

Session on Safeguarding of Minors for the Missionaries of Africa of the Southern Africa Province (Lusaka, Zambia: 13-30 June 2025)

Tuesday, June 24^th 2025

In today’s morning session Ms. Beatrice Mumbi gave a presentation on Addressing Safeguarding Issues in the Context of Africa: International law and particular state laws. In her presentation she gave a synopsis of the legal framework for safeguarding children, especially in the African context. She began by grounding safeguarding in international human rights laws, like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which obliges countries to protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. She then highlighted national legislation trends across African countries, noting that while child protection laws are well developed, implementation remains a challenge. She also explained key legal obligations around child sexual abuse, focusing on mandatory reporting, who must report, and to whom.

She ended her presentation by stressing that child sexual abuse is a criminal matter, and while only state authorities can investigate and prosecute, missionaries and church authorities must preserve evidence and cooperate fully with civil law.

In the afternoon session Sr. Dr. Mary Lembo gave a presentation on Fostering our Pastoral Boundaries and Collaboration in Mission as Paramount to Safeguarding. In her presentation, she emphasized that safeguarding begins with creating spaces, relationships, and environments where people, especially in pastoral settings, feel safe. It is supposed to be obvious that, in the Church, many Christians find this safety through relationships with their pastors. Therefore, pastoral relationships are meant to be healing encounters between someone in need and a minister. She emphasized the significance of spiritual powers that pastors hold, and therefore calls for accountability, transparency, and responsibility in its exercise. These are key principles of safeguarding.

During the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Simeon Kalore, he reminded us that the mission of John the Baptist whom we celebrate today, was to bring light and joy to the people. So also, as missionaries and as safe-guarders, our mission is to bring joy and light to the people of God.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Okunola Michael, M.Afr., Claude Nsengiyuva, M.Afr., Eric Kambale, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

Session on Safeguarding of Minors for the Missionaries of Africa of the Southern Africa Province (Lusaka, Zambia: 13-30 June 2025)

Monday, June 23^rd 2025

In today’s morning session, Mr. Noel Kondwani Mtoza gave a presentation on safeguarding of minors as a justice issue in our pastoral contexts. He highlighted that we cannot separate work of evangelisation from the ministry of Safeguarding, they must go hand in hand. Our words and actions must align. He insisted on this point by making scriptural references to Amos 5:24; and Luke 4:18-19. He insisted that injustice is a safeguarding concern as poverty, conflicts, and inequality heighten the risk of being abused.

            In the afternoon session, Fr. John Paul Kimes gave a presentation on the Preliminary Canonical Investigation on abuse cases and case management. This presentation focused on understanding the preliminary investigation as a key tool in safeguarding. He journeyed with us on what a preliminary investigation is, how it serves to protect the people of God, and how to properly initiate and conclude it. His presentation also covers the major elements involved on the appropriate steps to take once the investigation is complete.

            The day ended with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Jean-Marie Chisugi. In his homily, he reminded us not to be judges over each other but to look at each other with eyes of love. In the context of safeguarding, he said that we are not safeguarding delegates so that we can judge our brothers and sisters, but rather to love and protect them.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Okunola Michael, M.Afr., Claude Nsengiyuva, M.Afr., Eric Kambale, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

Session on Safeguarding of Minors for the Missionaries of Africa of the Southern Africa Province (Lusaka, Zambia: 13-30 June 2025)

Friday, June 20^th 2025

In today’s morning session, we learned about the Memorare Initiative, a Church-wide effort to strengthen safeguarding, especially in places with fewer resources. This was presented by Ms. Augusta Muthigani, Africa Regional Expert from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. She emphasised that the Memorare Initiative helps local churches grow stronger in protecting the vulnerable and responding with compassion and integrity. The initiative rests on four pillars: creating safe spaces for victims to be heard and supported, building skills in safeguarding across all Church roles, working with professionals to strengthen protection efforts and creating clear and accessible ways to share safeguarding information.

After this, the Coordinator for Integrity in Ministry Fr. Lowrent Kamwaza took us through the key parts of the Safeguarding Policy of our Society of the Missionaries of Africa. This presentation enabled us to familiarize ourselves with this important document of our Society which binds all as members.

In the afternoon session, our confreres Bill Turnbull, Timothée Bationo and Lowrent Kamwaza took us through a review of the Safeguarding Guidelines of the SAP Province. These guidelines contain seven standards; child safeguarding policy statement, procedures, preventing harm to children, training and education, communication, advice and support, implementation and monitoring. In the coming sessions, we will be working towards reviewing these guidelines.

The day concluded with a Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Marcellin Mubalama, who reminded us to imitate Saint Paul who boasts of his sufferings for Christ. Ministry of Safeguarding may have its challenges, and yet it is the mission of Christ and the Church.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Okunola Michael, M.Afr., Claude Nsengiyuva, M.Afr., Eric Kambale, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.

Session on Safeguarding of Minors for the Missionaries of Africa of the Southern Africa Province (Lusaka, Zambia: 13-30 June 2025)

Thursday, June 19^th 2025

In today’s morning session, Ms. Augusta Muthigani, Africa Regional Expert from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, gave a presentation on the Universal Guidelines Framework of The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Her presentation was quite enriching and revealing. She highlighted the complexity and magnitude of various forms of abuse that occur in homes, schools, communities and places of worship. In response to the above, she explained the Universal Church’s guidelines on safeguarding. This translates the Church’s commitment to addressing the abuse crisis. In implementing these guidelines in our various mission contexts, the cultures and laws of our countries of mission must be taken into consideration with the sensitivity and respect they deserve.

In the afternoon, our confrere Lamec Ciza, Safeguarding Delegate for South Africa, gave a presentation on assessing the safety of our mission places. Fr. Lamec presented to us concrete tools that we need to implement in our places of mission such as codes of conduct, safeguarding statements, declaration forms, reporting procedures and contacts as means of safeguarding the people of God entrusted to us.

The day ended with the Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Gilles Efiyo. In his homily drawn from the readings of the day, he reminded us that we are all children of the same Father and that we have been betrothed to God through our baptism and ministerial calling. If we internalise this, then safeguarding should truly be our commitment.

Safeguarding is our commitment

By: Okunola Michael, M.Afr., Claude Nsengiyuva, M.Afr., Eric Kambale, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr.