COORDINATORS HIRED The Regina Archdiocese has hired two coordinators who will share responsibilities to ensure parishes follow the Protocol for Responsible Ministry promulgated in May 2013 by Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan. Retired (recycled in their words) education teachers/administrators Leona Burkhart and Sharon Bender will advise parishes what is required of them to fulfil the obligations under the protocol. “We want them to understand why we are doing this and if they understand why following through with this will become important to them,” said Burkhart. “We have a responsibility to the people that we are to take care of and to the people who are doing the care taking and for Catholics that shouldn’t be a big stretch; to care for others.” Bender said it’s a matter of convincing them that this is something that needs to be done for the protection of the people in the parish. “It’s not just the protection of children and elderly it’s protection of the volunteers as well,” said Bender. The Archdiocese established a protocol in 2009 for clergy and staff but nothing for volunteers. Insurers said the protocol was not adequate and required a re-write which led to Protocol for Responsible Ministry. All of this the result of various abuse scandals that surfaced in recent years implicating faith communities around the world. The protocol requires each parish to establish procedures for recruiting, training and monitoring of volunteers. Volunteers must meet specific requirements including obtaining a criminal check if the volunteer is to work with children or disabled in specific circumstances. Reverend Deacon Barry Wood who is a member of the committee that created the protocol said in an earlier interview the protocol works both ways; protecting children and the vulnerable as well as volunteers against improper or malicious accusations. “The process looks overwhelming for some parishes now when they see all the forms,” said Bender, “and they get scared. So our job is to go to them and show them how to set it up so it is not as complicated as they think it is.” Establishing the protocols in individual parishes is not voluntary. It must be done. If there are parishes where it has not been undertaken, either Bender or Burkhart and perhaps both will visit the parish and help get it up and running. “It’s a project of the Archdiocese. It’s mandated by the bishop and it must be done,” said Burkhart. Bender said many parishes are well on their way to having this set up. Of 148 parishes in the Archdiocese 22.65% have started the process which Burkhart said is not very good. 37% of Regina parishes have started the process.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 20:00:29 +0000
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