杏MAP导航

By John Baptist Tumusiime

Thirty Missionaries of Africa concluded a two-week training workshop on safeguarding minors and vulnerable persons against abuse, on June 30th, in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. The workshop was organised by their Congregation’s department for Integrity in Ministry.   The coordinator of Integrity in Ministry, Fr. Lowrent Kamwanza, spoke with Vatican Media after the workshop, and stressed that Safeguarding is an important ministry in the Catholic Church, which must become an integral identity of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa. Below is a transcript of his interview with John Baptist Tumusiime.

Q: This is the third workshop on safeguarding organized by your congregation in less than a year. What inspired this initiative, and what does it reveal about the vision of the Missionaries of Africa on safeguarding ministry?

Indeed, organizing a third training on safeguarding of minors and persons in the situation of vulnerability within such a short time span reflects our deep and urgent commitment to fostering a culture of safeguarding, protection and care. As a Congregation of the Missionaries of Africa, we believe safeguarding is not merely a policy requirement, nor is it a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process of conversion, formation, and accountability. It is a Gospel imperative. Our motivation stems from our own charism of presence and dialogue, especially among the vulnerable as championed by our founder cardinal Charles Lavigerie whose centenary we celebrate this year 2025. We are responding both to the call of the Universal Church as championed by both 杏MAP导航 Leon, and the specific encouragement from our General Council who have given priority to this important ministry in the Church. Thus, the frequency of training underlines our conviction that safeguarding must become an integral and ongoing dimension of our missionary identity as Missionaries of Africa within the Universal Church.

Q: Who were the participants?

We were privileged to welcome 30 Missionaries participants from across the Southern Africa Province of the Missionaries of Africa: Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia representing a variety of areas of apostolic engagements: from our formation houses, parishes, youth ministry, vocation animation, interreligious dialogue and administration. Their cultural and pastoral diversity enriched our conversations immensely. Each participant brought a unique lens to the workshop, helping us appreciate the nuances of safeguarding within different contexts. This diversity fostered deep intercultural exchange, which is essential in building safeguarding approaches that are both universally coherent, locally sensitivity and respectful. The lived experiences of the participants gave meaning and relevance to the whole workshop process.

Q: What were the main objectives of the workshop?

Our workshop aimed at three key objectives: first, to raise awareness on safeguarding issues among our confrere’s missionaries. This was one of the main commitments undertaken last year during our training in Kigali, among the 7 points we recommended to ourselves, the first recommendation was to break the silence and raise awareness among our confreres about safeguarding. As part of our on-going formation and effort to create a safer Church, we aimed to equip our confreres with necessary knowledge and skills to address effectively safeguarding incidents as they arise in their pastoral contexts and mission places. To update the safeguarding guidelines on safeguarding for the Southern Africa province as part of our General Council’s safeguarding strategic plan in this field. We did the first training in June 2024 in Rwanda with safeguarding delegates of the whole society, then in February, 2025 with the missionaries of the Central Africa province in Burundi, and this time, it has been here in the Southern Africa Province, in Lusaka Zambia. We thank our partners and sponsors, who God willing, if we get support and resources, next year we will carry out similar initiatives with our missionaries in western Africa province and then later on, with the province of Ghana and Nigeria in 2026. All this aims at building a safer Church together.

Q: How would you describe the overall atmosphere among the participants from the beginning to the end of the workshop?

The spirit among participants was profoundly fraternal, reflective, and hopeful. From the opening Eucharistic celebration by the Provincial Superior, Fr. Christian Mulenga, and the welcoming remarks by the Assistant superior general, Fr. Pawel Hulecki, there was a clear sense of shared purpose. The participants showed a deep willingness to listen, question, challenge and support one another. We created a safe space where difficult topics could be approached with honesty and empathy. Personally, I was touched by the level of pastoral maturity and the desire to serve the people of God with integrity. It was not just a training, it became a moment of communal discernment, healing, and recommitment to our mission. That, I believe, is the true fruit of safeguarding work, inspired by the gospel. As we conclude, it has come out clearly to me, that safeguarding the little ones and the most vulnerable in the Church, the people that Jesus gave special attention to and care, is our collective responsibility and shared commitment in the Church.