Scotland’s National Safeguarding Coordinator, Mrs Tina Campbell, addressed Dunkeld’s parish safeguarding coordinators, and Deacons, at Dunkeld’s Pastoral Centre, in Dundee, on a Day of Prayer in support of their work.
The event follows the launch, earlier this year, of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland’s Instruction on Safeguarding, a document for implementation in all Catholic canonical jurisdictions in Scotland and by all other groups and organisations in Scotland subject to a legitimate canonical authority of the Catholic Church.
Called, ‘In God’s Image’ the document explains and provides a direct approach to Safeguarding that is to be practised at every level of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
For the public, and for Catholic faith communities in particular, it has been written to explain how the Catholic Church in Scotland makes every effort to protect from all forms of harm and abuse those children and adults who are vulnerable or at risk.
It has also been written to direct those who are responsible for managing Safeguarding arrangements in parishes, dioceses, Religious Institutes and Catholic organisations on how to comply with these new national Safeguarding standards.
Speaking in Dundee, Mrs Campbell said, “Today is the first of its kind in Scotland, and it is not only an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important work that we do, but also a time too to pray for the survivors of abuse. We have plans to hold similar events in support of our coordinators across the country.”
The day concluded with a Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a Service of Commissioning.
Bishop Stephen led a commissioning service in St Joseph’s Chapel at Lawside, where all delegates renewed their commitment to safeguarding and prayed for victims of abuse.