Oblate Meetings Focus on Leadership Selection and Safe Environments in Ministry

Twice each year, Missionary Oblates from the six areas of the United States Province gather with their confreres to enjoy one another’s company and to focus on issues of importance to the ministry and life of the community.

The six meetings during the month of October had three common elements:

1.         A workshop entitled “Creating Safe Environments” to train the Oblates on issues pertaining to the problem of sexual abuse, especially of minors, and to help the missionaries to assure our ministries provide a safe environment for all.

2.         Discernment of future leadership in the United States Province, and in particular, surfacing of names of possible candidates for future provincial councilors for the areas as well as two at-large provincial councilors.

3.         To take a first look at recommendations for the Parish Ministerial Council of the province about the configuration of Oblate ministry in parishes over the next few years.

Since this was the last opportunity he would have as provincial to attend area meetings, Fr. David Kalert, OMI, attended all six of the meetings and took the opportunity to thank the Oblates of the province for their cooperation in making the new United States Province a reality over the past six years.  He also gave some highlights from the recent General Chapter.

 IMPORTANT WORKSHOP

The workshop about “Creating Safe Environments” is an important step in the U.S. province’s strategy to assure that all of the members active in ministry are not only aware of the scope of the problem of sexual abuse of minors, but also that the actions of all of the members be guided by sound, safe and pastoral policies. 

The Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM), of which the United States Oblates are members, has, in the words of its president, Fr. Ronald D. Witherup, SS:

….employed the services of Christian Brothers Risk Management Services and its vendor, Praesidium Religious Services, in order to implement the specific goals set forth by our August 2002 Assembly Statement, namely, to have in place:

§         Mechanisms to respond promptly to any allegation of sexual abuse

§         Independent review boards, either singly or in union with others

§         Mechanisms of public accountability from outside the leadership of the institutes

§         Educational programs for the protection of children and the prevention of abuse

§         More effective methods of intervention, care, treatment and follow-up supervision of members in need of this care

§         Programs of healing, reconciliation and wellness for all those affected by sexual abuse through dialogue with appropriate groups.

Representing Praesidium (http://www.praesidiuminc.com/) at the meetings were two staff members, Christy Schiller and Jane Hickerson.  They spoke of the scope of the problem, the effects of sexual abuse on victims, characteristics of abusers, boundary violations, warning signs of potential problems, and how to respond in a pastoral way to victims.

Photos courtesy of Ed de Leon and Jim Allen