Letter from Bishop Leahy to be read at all Masses on Safeguarding Sunday 26^th/27^th  September 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

As part of our annual safeguarding programme in the Diocese I write to all parishes on this critical part of our shared mission.

Safeguarding is about ensuring the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable persons in all their involvement within the Church.

This has been a quite extraordinary year for all of us.  I am aware of the creative and responsive initiatives which have enabled us to express and nurture our faith.  In this context, we are all aware of the need for ensuring safety in our online engagement.

In 2019 I informed all parishes of my intention to invite the National Safeguarding Board to undertake an independent audit of our safeguarding arrangements in early 2020.  We were fortunate that this audit was undertaken immediately prior to the ‘Covid lockdown’.

The reviewers spent more than a week with us.  As well as reviewing how we respond to safeguarding complaints and concerns they also obtained feedback from persons who made complaints and persons, including priests who were the subject of complaints.

Visits were also made to three parishes and to youth ministry activities to review how children and their parents experienced their involvement with local parish activities.

It is reassuring that the auditors found that the Diocese is compliant with all of the Seven National Safeguarding Standards which have been in place since 2016.

Overall reviewers found that “there is significant evidence of the dedication and hard work of enthusiastic and innovative people, striving to bring life and practical meaning to the safeguarding standards”.  The full report of the Audit is available on the Diocesan website.

I am particularly grateful to the Safeguarding Committee who guide all our safeguarding activities.

I wish to acknowledge the work of all those involved in ministry with children, and persons who may be vulnerable and the safeguarding representatives throughout the Diocese. 

I fully appreciate that coping with childhood abuse can be a lifelong task and repeat my call for any person who may have experienced abuse by a person associated with the Church to contact our Safeguarding Service or the Statutory Agencies.

I encourage people throughout the Diocese to use the safeguarding section of our Diocesan website as a resource in ensuring that we promote the welfare of children and vulnerable persons in all their activities within the Church.

Let us all keep one another in our prayers.

+Brendan Leahy,

Bishop of Limerick.