"We are all called to know the impact of abuse," pope saysSexual abuse in the Church. The deep woundIn February 2020, the Latin American Council of the Interdisciplinary Research and Training Center for the Protection of Minors was born, CEPROMEan institution that focuses its efforts on training to prevent the spread of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in the Latin American continent.
Lay people, consecrated persons and priests from countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, El Salvador and Venezuela are part of this Council, which has developed, since its creation, a broad task of training on different topics and issues related to the protection of the most vulnerable and the prevention of all types of abuse in ecclesiastical environments.
Pope Francis, in a meeting with a delegation of CEPROME gathered in Rome on September 25, 2023, told them: "You, I know well, are trying to work and apply ever more suitable methods to eradicate the scourge of abuse, both in the Church and in the world. And we must not forget this: the abuses that have struck the Church are but a pale reflection of a sad reality that embraces all humanity, and to which the necessary attention is not given. Some may say: 'ah, there are not so many, then'. If it were only one, it would already be scandalous, just one, and there are more than one".
As in the rest of the world, in Latin America, cases of abuse in ecclesial environments have been a turning point in the life of the Church. Following the path taken by the entire universal Church, the Latin American episcopates and the various institutions of the Church have been working on the development of protocols for action and reparation in cases of this nature, on formation from the earliest stages and, above all, on the development of prevention mechanisms to avoid the repetition of these cases.
Necessary work
CEPROME's task ranges from consulting and advising Church institutions to develop safe environments. This task includes the task of training and prevention of these cases, but also, the realization and implementation of protocols for action against abuse, monitoring of internal resources to prevent these actions and management of responsibilities.
In addition, they have developed a psychological evaluation and psychodiagnostic service for both potential victims and aggressors and a psychiatric-psychological evaluation system that is necessary in most cases.
The work of CEPROME is extensive and, above all, ongoing. María Inés Franck, director of the Latin American Council of CEPROME, pointed out to Omnes how this organism has become a point of reference for the ecclesial community of Latin America, especially "at the moment of making decisions on concrete issues related to abuse and, especially, to prevention".
The people who make up this community "are in constant contact", which offers an updated and diverse perspective on the approach to issues related to the protection of minors in different countries. Several of them are also linked to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (Tutela Minorum) and have worked with the Centre for Child Protection (CCP) of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
The training courses and seminars promoted by this institution have already trained hundreds of people who work in different Church organizations: dioceses, schools, religious communities, etc.
These diplomas cover topics such as canon law guidelines and the management of sexual abuse, accompaniment or how to approach an interview with a victim of abuse.
Another area in which the activities of this Latin American Council of the Interdisciplinary Research and Training Center for the Protection of Minors are focused is the preparation of reference books dedicated to all areas related to the prevention, reparation and management of cases of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable persons in the Church. These books constitute an indispensable formation bibliography to understand the true scope of these crimes and, especially, to make ecclesial communities true environments of freedom and security.
