The crime of sexual abuse by some Church leaders has touched us all at a very deep level. Many priests and parishioners remain hurt, angry, cynical, and confused. The trauma is not something that will simply go away with time. Something awful has happened for which no explanation or excuse will do.

We must be the light of Christ. Yesterday’s victims and survivors deserve our understanding and support. Today’s children, young people and vulnerable adults require our protection and guidance. Our brothers and sisters in Christ want assurance that the light is getting brighter, not dimmer.

Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults is designed to assist us to make the Church truly safe for the vulnerable, to break down the mistrust and the anger that afflicts so many of our brothers and sisters.

In the motu proprio, Pope Francis states that “the protection of minors and vulnerable persons is an integral part of the evangelical message that the church and all its members are called to spread in the world.” He also says, “we all have the duty to welcome with generosity minors and vulnerable persons and to create for them a secure atmosphere that has their interests as a priority,” and he emphasizes that this requires a “continuous and profound conversion.”

He underlines the importance “of the duty to denounce the abuses to the competent authorities and to cooperate with them” and insists that “every abuse or maltreatment against a minor or vulnerable person” is to be prosecuted according to the law. Further, everyone who alleges “to have been victims of exploitation, of sexual abuse or maltreatment,” as well as their family members, “has the right to be received, listened to and accompanied.”

It is in this light that the Catholic Missionary Institute of Abidjan (Icma) inaugurated, Saturday, March 23, its center for the protection and safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults. During his inaugural speech, Fr. Paul Eninn who is the Rector of the ICMA said, “Our center aims at raising awareness about the issue of sexual abuse and power over others.” He added that the center, “… also has the role of training all those who would like to receive training in this area or those who supervise children. Finally, it is a listening and support area for victims of sexual abuse. “

In order to carry out this mission, Icma focuses on raising awareness in parishes, Christian and civil associations, Small Christian Communities , schools and families, but also attentively  listening to the voices of victims and ensuring their accompaniment  and formation (online) which will lead to a certificate in protection of minors and vulnerable persons.

This center, which is in collaboration with the Center for Child Protection of the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome, is located in the popular municipality of Abobo, within the institute. It was built in response to Pope Francis’ call on 21 September 2017 to protect minors and vulnerable people from the phenomenon of sexual abuse and other forms of abuse.

The center is open to everyone: priests, religious and lay people in Ivory Coast, victims or those who feel concerned because “it is a plague that is present in the society” according to father Paul Ennin who added that  “We have already started the campaign, and we have touched many people and institutions that allowed us to realize it. “

The opening of this center comes barely one month after the summit on sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults convened from February 21 to 24, by Pope Francis which brought together presidents of Episcopal conferences from around the world.

“Today in the Church, there is this problem of sexual abuse and as a result the pope entrusts us with the mission to protect children and vulnerable adults. As a missionary orientation institute, Icma wants to respond to the challenge of Pope Francis in the context of the protection of minors.”  Added Fr. Ennin.

Dominic SMA