Special events focus on creating safe communities

By Wendy Shaw

Catholic parishes throughout Tasmania marked National Child Protection Week and Safeguarding Sunday earlier this month.

The Archdiocese of Hobart’s Safe Communities Office – Coordinator, Andrea Probert, and newly appointed co-worker Di Kelly together with Vicar General Fr Shammi Perera – were hard at work preparing for the event, which is held each September as part of a nationwide initiative to protect children from abuse and neglect.

National Child Protection Week seeks to engage and empower everyone to understand they have a role in keeping children, young people and adults at risk safe.

On Sunday 10 September, the Catholic Church in Australia marked Safeguarding Sunday (formerly Child Protection Sunday), at the end of National Child Protection Week.

In a letter to parishes, Fr Shammi said: “Despite the dark past, the Catholic Church’s responsibility in safeguarding children and adults at risk has been a high priority in the last couple of years.”

“We humbly acknowledge that in the Archdiocese of Hobart, all of us have been proactive in putting systems in place to create safe environments for everyone who comes to our parishes and Catholic organisations.”

Andrea explained that under Fr Shammi’s guidance, the Safe Communities Office had distributed a Universal Prayer and Prayers of the Faithful as well as a poster highlighting the events.

“This week raises awareness of the importance of child protection and wellbeing in our organisation – and not only children, but adults at risk as well – and that all of us have a responsibility to keep our little people safe in all the areas and events we offer in the church such as Liturgy programs, school Masses, church Masses, and all youth activities,” Andrea said.

Andrea added that the Safe Communities Office was delighted with the response from parishes.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback this year, which is fantastic” she said.

Parishes had acknowledged the importance of the week and of Safeguarding Sunday with a range of events, including morning teas.

In the Richmond Catholic Parish, where Andrea is parish secretary and Safeguarding Officer, classes one and two from the historic town’s St John’s Catholic School completed a colouring-in activity featuring Ditto, the mascot of Bravehearts.

This is an education organisation dedicated to empowering and protecting children from harm. The colourful display was on show at the back of St John the Evangelist Catholic Church at Richmond, near the baptismal font.

The theme for National Child Protection Week was ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’.

For more information about the Archdiocese’s Safe Communities Office: https://hobart.catholic.org.au/safe-communities/