Pastoral Challenge of the Culture of Care and Prevention of the Abuse of Children and Vulnerable Persons

“The Apostles of prevention never get tired of looking for paths of hope”

It is urgent, timely and effective as a claretian family:

To generate a culture of good treatment from our homes, communities and pastoral environments, let us provide attention, care and security to the youngest and those who are in a state of vulnerability.

We must not close our eyes to the abuse of power and conscience that takes place in our homes, neighbourhoods, schools, parish groups and communities, doing our part not to encourage or strengthen it.

Be aware of our human frailty, which can lead us to weaken in our way of behaving, seeking to create or foster a toxic environment of authoritarianism.

To foster the culture of denunciation in front of any type of abuse, making real what Pope Francis asks of us: “do not remain silent, do not cover up and do not underestimate any situation”.

We stand in solidarity with those who make mistakes, not hiding the fact but rather being part of the solution, placing ourselves on the side of the victim, going to the corresponding authority so that the abuse is stopped and does not happen again, exercising our baptismal prophecy.

We become aware, train and take an active part in networks that already work and train in this ecclesial pastoral challenge. Let us define concrete actions, among all of us, and let us reorient the diversified pastoral, from the transversality of prevention and care.

We need to see ourselves as a synodal Church, ever new and renewed, walking together with hope, engaging ourselves actively with love in service to all, caring for and defending especially the life of the small and vulnerable, as Jesus did, so that our faith may be renewed in love and flourish more strongly in the Claretian evangelising pastoral mission, as new apostles of Jesus Christ, for a contemporary Culture of Prevention and Care.

Beatriz Salazar Garzón, rmi