Vision and Mission
This quote from Pope Francis focuses on our role of welcoming and supporting children in the life of the Church.
Our generation must show that it can rise to the promise found in each [child and] young person when we know how to give them space.
This means that we have to create the material and spiritual conditions for their full development, to give them a solid basis on which to build their lives; to guarantee their safety and their education to be everything they can be; to pass on to them lasting values that make life worth living; to give them a transcendent horizon for their thirst for authentic happiness and their creativity for the good; to give them the legacy of a world worthy of human life; and to awaken in them their greatest potential as builders of their own destiny, sharing responsibility for the future of everyone. If we can do all this today, we anticipate the future that enters the world through the window of the young. [1]
Pope Francis reminds us that, ‘in the Confiteor, we ask forgiveness not only for the wrong we have done, but also for the good we have failed to do’. [2] In the past, the Catholic Church in Ireland failed in its duty to protect children and young people. Previous Church policies have focused on establishing consistent standards to prevent abuse and assist the Church on its journey to learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure that children’s safety is a core part of its mission.
Even when the path forward is difficult and demanding, I urge you not to get bogged down; keep reaching out, keep trying to instil confidence in those you meet and who share with you this common cause. Do not grow discouraged when it seems that little is changing for the better. Persevere and keep moving forwards! [3]
Inspired by Pope Francis’ words, this new child safeguarding policy builds on the foundations of past learning and experiences. The policy provides a new focus on leadership and governance to embed a culture of safeguarding where:
The Church has an important role to play in creating and maintaining an environment in which children and young people can grow and flourish in their humanity and come to experience the dignity that Jesus proclaimed.
Children will be welcome and safe.
Church personnel will uphold the rights of children, in line with Gospel values.
[1] Pope Francis (2013) Apostolic Journey to Rio De Janeiro on the Occasion of the XXVII World Youth Day, Welcome Ceremony, Address of Pope Francis. Vatican City: Liberia Editrice Vaticana. p. 2 (accessed 6 February 2024).
[2] Pope Francis (2023) Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, p. 2 (accessed 6 February 2024).
[3] Ibid.