CatholicAnchor.org As the leaves turn and the temperatures slowly fall, we prepare for all that comes with the changing season. During this time of year, besides raking leaves and storing flowerpots, I recently attended a candidate forum. One of the less controversial questions asked of the candidates at this forum was to name their favorite…
By this teacher modeling for us a greater sense of empathy and compassion, she was also raising us up to be better young Catholic women and the type of people Christ calls us to be.
The ministry of Safe Environment is fortunate to have been under the direction of Archbishop Etienne. The Independent File Review Commission continues with its work to review all clergy and religious personnel and safe environment files.
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and this awareness begins with the knowledge and concern that children, our most precious resource, are being abused and neglected in places around the world.
Renewed focus has been placed on an abuse of power and clericalism as contributing factors.
Before the many television shows that we now call “Reality TV” dominated prime time and what seems to be an infinite number of channels, I recall a handful of genres, such as comedies, cartoons, news, sports, movies, documentaries and dramas.
In safe environment, our primary prevention is stopping abuse before it happens by understanding risk factors, informing ourselves and empowering others. It means recognizing the dignity of all people, without exception.
To promote a safe environment in the Archdiocese of Anchorage there is plenty of information that one should have access to, such as training materials, faith formation curriculum materials and policies and procedures.
Another image I have this time of year, especially when we hear of so many communities devastated by storms, is how people come together when a shared crisis occurs. Individuals and communities all over the country and the world have offered assistance and prayers to those suffering from destruction and loss. As Catholics we understand the need to offer relief to those in vulnerable situations. We try to give them hope that recovery is possible.
That comment reveals just how difficult it is to change a culture, even if policy improves people’s lives, because a new policy can challenge an old way of thinking about something that has been part of the culture for years.