Safeguarding Seminar with the President of the Center for Child Protection from Rome

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Very Rev. Mitred Archpriest Marek Visnovsky, Protosyncellus of the Eparchy of Parma, was present at the seminar on safeguarding with Fr. Hans Zollner, S.J., President of the Center for Child Protection at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. Fr. Hans Zollner, who also holds a doctorate degree in theology, is a psychologist and licensed psychotherapist. He serves as a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and as a consultor of the Congregation for Clergy in the Vatican.

The seminar which was titled "Spiritual and Theological Lessons of the Abuse Crisis" took place in Philadelphia on January 30, 2020 and was organized by the Ukrainian Archeparchy. Metropolitan Archbishop Boris Gudziak presided at the event and all the bishops of the Ukrainian metropolia were present, as well as priests and lay people. Fr. Zollner emphasized that one of the main reasons why there is an abuse crisis is the fact that priests stop praying, fasting, and reading the Bible. Consequently they stop going to confession, they no longer have spiritual leaders nor friends/peers to spend time with, and with a very low spiritual lifestyle they gradually start diverting from spiritual growth. They start drinking, visiting bars and clubs, playing games, having questionable vacations, having sexual relationships and confusing lifestyles. In Fr. Zollner's words, the abuse crisis is inherently a spiritual crisis. He also mentioned that part of the problem is many times priests are not being talked to or checked in on for a long time, and that is when these symptoms start and can be observed.

The safeguarding of minors is one of the priorities of the Eparchy of Parma. Effective February 4, 2020, the Eparchy of Parma began to implement VIRTUS, new training program for all volunteers and staff persons associated with the Eparchy that have contact with children and vulnerable adults. The implementation of the new VIRTUS Safe Environment Program will greatly improve the efforts of our Eparchy to protect our children and vulnerable adults from the evil of sexual abuse.

Photos: T. Siwak