1. Safeguarding as Ministry Canonical Context

2. Two Major Barriers 1.Lack of effective communication 2.Failure to follow established procedures

3. RESPONSE at point of DISCLOSURE

4. CANON LAW National Policies Code of Canon Law Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela

5. National Procedures How to respond to concerns about a child or young person How to respond to concerns about an adult at risk How to respond to concerns about a person in a position of trust (www.csasprocedures.uk.net)www.csasprocedures.uk.net

6. Confidentiality Outside of the sacramental forum, confidentiality is not absolute

7. Professional Confidentiality “…confidential information given under the seal of secrecy must be kept, save in exceptional cases where the keeping of the secret is bound to cause very grave harm to the one who confided it, to the one who received it or to a third party, and where the very grave harm can be avoided only be divulging the truth…” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2491)

8. Sacramental Seal “The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.” (canon 983§1)

9. Delict “A confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Holy See; he who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the offence.” (canon 1388§1)

10. Use of Information Priests are incapable of being a witness: “in respect of everything which has become known to them in sacramental confession, even if the penitent has asked that these things be made known”. (canon 1550§2,2°)

11. Principles re: Abused Clarity regarding status of conversation Reassurance Encourage to seek help Encourage to pass on information Avoid confusion of roles

12. Principles re: Abuser Inform about addictive nature Encourage to seek help outside confessional Advised to notify Statutory Authorities and/or Safeguarding Commission PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT Deferral of absolution Contact outside of sacramental forum

13. “Satisfaction” or Penance “Many sins wrong our neighbour. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm…Simple justice requires as much…Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin…” (CCC 1459)

14. Domestic Abuse “A spouse who occasions grave danger of soul or body to the other or to the children, or otherwise makes the common life difficult, provides the other spouse with a lawful reason to leave…” (canon 1153§1)

15. Supreme Law “In the Church, the salvation of souls must always be the supreme law.” (canon 1752)