Session on Safeguarding of Minors for the Missionaries of Africa of the Southern Africa Province (Lusaka, Zambia: 13-30 June 2025)
Friday, June 20th 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.
