The UAC National Coordination Council Australia (NCC) is proactively working towards meeting the safeguarding responsibilities set by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.  This is called the Safeguarding Children and Young People Framework and guides the implementation of the child safety policies, procedures and practices for all parishes.

There is a lot of information available to support the NCC as well as information for volunteers to become familiar with the requirements. For more information and resources on Safeguarding, please visit the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne website:
https://melbournecatholic.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-framework-resources

Our Safeguarding Committee comprises the following members:

Mary Whiting,
Cheryl Sullivan
Fr Dean Bradbury
Mark Brolly
Marita Dunphy

If you have any questions/concerns, please contact Marita Dunphy on 0438 608 070. 

or

Pathways Victoria: Pathways Victoria | Survivors of Abuse within the Catholic Church

Mandatory Online Safeguarding Essentials Training (for volunteers, clergy & staff)

The following link will take you to the Mandatory Online Training. Please login using your Working With Children Check (WWCC) number.

https://melbournecatholic.org/safeguarding/safeguarding-training-and-upcoming-events/safeguarding-training-modules/

Volunteering with UAC

The NCC welcomes volunteers across our Ministries and outreach. Please contact us to talk about how you can support.  

Should you commit to becoming a volunteer, we require all volunteers to:

• Complete Online Safeguarding Training (as outlined above,  every 3 years)
• Agree to, and sign our Code of Conduct
• Provide a valid Working with Children Check linked to UAC
• Provide basic contact details (stored confidentially) in the event of an emergency.

To view our Safeguarding policy and other documentation:

• UAC Australia Policy Statement “Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk”

1. BACKGROUND.

A decision to accept and promulgate a Policy Statement for the Protection of Minors was made at the Fourth Ordinary Assembly of the Union of Catholic Apostolate, held in Rome in January 2015.

All actions as indicated in this Australian policy are taken from those within the UAC International Policy which is attached (Appendix 1) and need to be read in conjunction with this Australian Policy.  

The following directives are taken directly from the aforementioned policy, which states that each country is requested to:

• Follow the directives regarding minors promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the National Episcopal Conferences, and the civil legislation of the countries where the Union is present.
• Each Community of the Union and each NCC is to have a documented policy for Safeguarding minors. This policy will be reviewed and updated every three years. Policy reviews and updates will be reported by the President of the National Coordination Council (NCC) to the GCC before each General Assembly of the Union.
• The GCC also requests all the Presidents of the NCCs to ensure a climate of Safeguarding and to provide education for the members and collaborators in this fundamental duty to safeguard minors and to ensure they are protected in all the apostolic activities undertaken by and associated with the Union.
• Each NCC is also instructed to appoint a Designated Person to monitor and implement the Safeguarding policy and procedures document of the NCC.

** Please note that the above directives in relation to the Australian policy are now inclusive of Adults at Risk with the policy titled: “Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk”

2. PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE TO BE FOLLOWED PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING AN ALLEGATION OF ABUSE

• The requirements of Australian Civil Law are followed.
  https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/australian-child-protection-legislation

• The documented policies of the relevant diocese eg Melbourne and Perth are to be adhered to – see https://melbournecatholic.org/safeguarding
  https://melbournecatholic.org/uploads/documents/Catholic-Archdiocese-of-Melbourne-Safeguarding-Children-and-Young-People-Policy.pdf for Melbourne Policy and http://safeguarding.perthcatholic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/Safeguarding_Handbook.pdfhttp://safeguarding.perthcatholic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/Safeguarding_Handbook.pdf for Perth.

3. Communities and individuals of the Union in Australia

Society of the Catholic Apostolate

Are ecclesiastically recognized and subject to the supervision of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life are subject to the promulgated norms of the Dicastery for the Congregation of the Faith in matters relating to the abuse of minors and of vulnerable persons.  

The Rector of each Community has responsibility to ensure compliance with these norms and to indicate the appropriate procedure to be followed.

The Mariana Community:

Which is recognised within the Archdiocese of Melbourne as a Private Association of Christ’s Faithful is subject to the policy of the Melbourne Archdiocese.

The Coordinator of Mariana Community has responsibility to ensure compliance with the Melbourne Archdiocese and Union of Catholic Apostolate policies and to indicate the appropriate procedure to be followed.

Individual Members and Collaborators Individual members of the Union and collaborators, who participate in the public apostolate of the Union are bound by the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures adopted by relevant diocesan policy (see above links). They are also bound by the Common Declaration, Principles and Procedures Document of the Union (See Appendix 1).

1. Apostolic Works  undertaken within the specific ministries of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate fall under the responsibility of the Society of Catholic Apostolate. All policies relating to Working with Children are to be documented and monitored by the designated responsible person from the Society of Catholic Apostolate.

11. Each member of the Australian National Coordination Council and the Local Coordination Councils and other members who participate in a public apostolate of the Union, other than those working / volunteering on properties of the Society of Catholic Apostolate, is to obtain a Working with Children Check.

111. The National Coordination Council Secretary is to keep a directory of all members ( as per no VI) Working with Children’s Checks and to ensure their currency is maintained.

5. The position of Designated Safeguarding is held by Person/Persons (Male and Female) who are members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate or the broad Pallottine Family. The responsibilities of this position are as described within the Perth Diocesan Safeguarding Children policy (See Appendix 2).  The person holding this responsibility will: participate in relevant Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk education program/programs, report updated information to the National Coordination Council on a minimum of an annual basis and, offer / arrange relevant training to all members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate in Australia.

6 When knowledge is obtained of a possible case of abuse by a member of the Union who is not a member of an ecclesiastically recognized Community and subject to the supervision of the Congregation/Community/Apostolic Work undertaken on a Society of Catholic Apostolate Property, the Designated Safeguarding Person is informed as is the Local Ordinary of the accused member and the requirements of Civil Law and Diocesan requirements are followed as indicated above.

7. The Designated Safeguarding Person will undertake an initial evaluation of the allegation. The Local Ordinary and the NCC President are kept informed.

8. This policy is to be reviewed on a tri annual basis and updated as necessary.

Ratified at NCC meeting 13 December 2023

Date for review December 2026

APPENDIX 1

UNION OF CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE POLICY STATEMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS

1. DECLARATION

The Union of Catholic Apostolate, a public association of the faithful in the Catholic Church, recognizes the rights of all people to be treated equally and with dignity. This right is fundamental to the Christian ethos and is expressed by St. Vincent Pallotti in the following manner: Our “rules are like means for the most perfect observance of love towards God and our neighbour” (OOCC II, 31).

In keeping with this rule of observing love towards God and our neighbour in the most perfect manner possible, we uphold the right of all minors^[1], irrespective of where they live or their circumstances, to be protected, nurtured and free from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation.

Therefore, as a public International association of the Faithful in the Church, the Union is fully committed to the protection of minors in the Church and in society.

When working with minors individually or in a group/institutional setting the members and collaborators of the Union will strive to achieve an environment that promotes safety, love and security for the individual.

In 2012, the highest decision-making body of the Union, the General Assembly, decreed the following: “While fully recognizing the principle stated in article number 40 of the General Statutes that all the communities of the Union are autonomous and their members are subject to their own regulations, both in the internal life of the community and its apostolates, the General Assembly of 2012, in the strongest possible terms, calls on all members, collaborators and communities of the Union to ensure that the highest standards are implemented and respected with regard to safeguarding children. This means that proper procedure be followed at all stages and in all instances of the life and work of members of the UAC with children.”^[2]

Following this decision of the last (III) Ordinary General Assembly regarding Safeguarding, this IV Ordinary General Assembly requests all of the members and collaborators to follow the directives regarding minors promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the National Episcopal Conferences, and the civil legislation of the countries where the Union is present.

Each Community of the Union and each NCC is to have a documented policy for Safeguarding minors. This policy will be reviewed and updated every three years. Policy reviews and updates will be reported by the President of the National Coordination Council (NCC) to the GCC before each General Assembly of the Union.

The GCC also requests all the Presidents of the NCCs to ensure a climate of Safeguarding and to provide education for the members and collaborators in this fundamental duty to safeguard minors and to ensure they are protected in all the apostolic activities undertaken by and associated with the Union.

Each NCC is also instructed to appoint a Designated Person to monitor and implement the Safeguarding policy and procedures document of the NCC.

2. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The guiding principles associated with this policy are:

• Every person is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1,26); therefore every child should be cherished and affirmed as a gift from God with an inherent right to dignity of life and bodily integrity which is to be respected, nurtured and protected by all;
• Equality of persons is fundamental to the vision of the Union; therefore any action which would undermine this equality, be it towards a child or an adult, is contrary to this principle;
• There is no tolerance of abuse of minors, in accordance with the sanctity of life as enunciated by Our Lord Jesus: "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me" (Mk 9: 36-7);
• Abuse is understood as a behaviour that hurts the dignity and integrity of the child and his or her overall development. Abuse may be physical, emotional or sexual; child sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or sexual arousal or that of others;^[3]
• Inappropriate communication with children through the Internet, e-mail, text messages or use of other social media, may also constitute abuse;
• Visiting Internet sites that contain offensive, obscene, pornographic or illegal material is inappropriate behaviour; visiting such sites which involve children is a form of abuse;
• Children have a right to be listened to and heard: therefore any allegations and suspicions of abuse must be responded to effectively, the reporting procedure established is to be followed, and the allegation must be reported to the appropriate authorities;
• Children have a right to an environment free from abuse and neglect. Therefore, the members of the Union will seek to develop a culture of safety that minimises risk to children, which will include observing clear guidelines that set out what is and is not acceptable behaviour between adults and children and also what is acceptable behaviour among children (i.e. no bullying, or other forms of abusive behaviour);
• Children should have access to good role models they can trust, who will respect and nurture their spiritual, physical and emotional development. Therefore any member of the Union engaged in pastoral, social or charitable activity of the Union which involves children is to be vetted by the Policing Authority of the country in order to prevent those who pose a risk to children from holding a position of trust;
• Children learn through activities; therefore activities which engage members of the Union with children are to be planned and supervised in order to minimise any risk to their welfare;
• Since the Union is committed at every level to remaining in communion with the hierarchy of the Church (cf. General Statutes 21), each NCC is bound by the policies of its respective Episcopal Conference. Therefore, every NCC is to be familiar with the Child Protection policy and procedures of its Episcopal Conference, is to elaborate its own Safeguarding policy and procedures in accordance with the former, and to ensure that such policy and procedures are complied with in the context of Union life and activity;
• Every NCC is to be familiar with the pertinent civil law regarding safeguarding minors, and to ensure that such policy and procedures are complied with in the context of Union life and activity;
• The Designated Safeguarding Person in each Community of the Union and in each NCC will ensure that the policies and procedures are put in place and implemented in practice;
• The Designated Safeguarding Person is to ensure the provision of training for members and collaborators with a view to creating a culture of safeguarding which will ensure that high standards and good practice are observed;
• Every NCC must ensure that any institution under its authority which cares for minors will elaborate its own Safeguarding Policy according to civil law;
• The NCC will ensure that the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures adopted by the NCC is published and disseminated to all members, collaborators and all those who engage with the Union or work with the Union in any capacity;
• Any abuse which occurs will be reported to the appropriate authorities, both civil and ecclesiastical, in accordance with the laws of the individual countries, without prejudice to the sacramental internal forum (cf. CDF 2011, I e). Those who have suffered child abuse are to receive a compassionate and just response and will be offered appropriate pastoral care and, if considered necessary, professional care to rebuild their lives.
• Those who have harmed others should be helped to face up to the reality of abuse, as well as being assisted in healing; this will be done by the competent authority in the Union and by specially designated persons. The norms adopted by the National Episcopal Conference and by the Statutory Authorities will determine future engagement, if any, of those who have harmed others, in the apostolic work of the Union.

3. PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE TO BE FOLLOWED FOLLOWING AN ALLEGATION OF ABUSE

1. The requirements of Civil Law are followed.
2. Communities of the Union which are Ecclesiastically recognized entities and subject to the supervision of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life are subject to the promulgated norms of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in matters relating to the abuse of minors and of vulnerable persons. The Major Superior of each Community has responsibility to ensure compliance with these norms and to indicate the appropriate procedure to be followed.

• Individual members of the Union, members of a community which is not ecclesiastically recognized, and collaborators, who participate in the public apostolate of the Union are bound by the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures adopted by the Episcopal Conference of the country of residence. They are also bound by this Common Declaration, Principles and Procedures Document of the Union.

1. When knowledge is obtained of a possible case of abuse by a member of the Union who is not a member of an ecclesiastically recognized Community and subject to the supervision of the Congregation, the Designated Safeguarding Person is informed as is the Local Ordinary of the accused member and the requirements of Civil Law are followed as indicated above.
2. The Designated Safeguarding Person of the NCC undertakes an initial evaluation of the allegation and the Local Ordinary and the NCC President are kept informed.

4. CONCLUSION:

This Policy Statement and the outlining of principles and procedures, is, of necessity, inadequate to address the reality of what is safeguarding children from all forms of abuse. It is impossible to formulate a Policy and Procedures Document which would cater for the entirety of the Union throughout the world. However, the safeguarding of children is a priority for this ecclesiastical body in the Church of Jesus Christ. This Policy Statement will be further amended and extended in time.

^[1] In the area of protection of minors, and so for the purposes of this document, the terms ‘minor’ and ‘child’ refer to anyone under 18 years of age (see CDF, Normae de gravioribus delictis, May 21, 2010, art. 6 § 1 n. 1; Circular Letter May 3, 2011).

^[2] Minutes of the Third Ordinary General Assembly of the Union, Proposal approved on Child Protection.

^[3] Children First, National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (Department of Health and Children, Ireland, 1999).

The Church of San Salvador in Onda where the body of St Vincent Pallotti is encased in glass beneath the altar.

It is in Rome adjoining the SAC Generalate.

[Click here to view the live feed]

Jesus in the Eucharist, our God and King,

Jesus in the Eucharist, our creator and Redeemer,

Jesus in the Eucharist, our physician and our medicine,

Jesus in the Eucharist, our food and our grace.

Jesus in the Eucharist, our greatest good and happiness.

Jesus in the Eucharist, infinitely loving and worthy of love.

Jesus in the Eucharist, you are the greatest and most holy of our mysteries.

St. Vincent Pallotti, pray for us.

by St. Vincent Pallotti

You know the way for me, you know the time,
Into your hands I trustingly place mine
Your plan is perfect, born of perfect love
You know the way for me, This way is love.

Amen.

Trying to understand the readings for a particular Sunday or Feast Day, who the writer was speaking to, and the issues that were being addressed in the context of the culture, I had the sense of wrestling with the Word like Jacob, to grasp in the darkness of my initial perception, the Spirit’s meaning. The Word shone light on my own experiences, hoping that in sharing them they might resonate with others’ experiences and help them. Even in giving the Homily for a particular congregation, I experienced the Spirit at work suggesting better ways and helpful words to feed the hungers in the human heart.

I have always felt the obligation to preach well for the sake of the people; a craft with the help of the Spirit to make the homilies personal and nurturing, relevant to those who listened. Delving into the scripture guided by the insights of scholars and homilists, listening to the wisdom of ordinary people, writers, current news and events, but especially having time to ruminate and be guided by the Spirit in what I have to say to the congregation on any particular Sunday was both fascinating and challenging.

I wish to thank my friend Anthony Lim for his encouragement and for bringing all these homilies together in printed form in line with the lectionary. Thanks to Fr Michael Kelly CssR for his assistance with Year C, Fr Brendan Byrne S. J. for his advice, Deirdre Heffernan, Rev Sharne Rolfe for reading and offering helpful comments, and finally, Annie Frances Hall who edited the three years of Homilies and added the scriptural citations to complete this work.

After some thought I decided to put all these homilies on our Pallottine Website, hoping it can be of service to other priests and people in their own Wrestling with the Word. Praise be to the Father, Son and Spirit and thanks to all who have inspired me to write.

Fr Pat Jackson SAC

Dedication

I wish to dedicate this work to my twin brother
Dr Michael Jackson D Theol, (Manly); D. Psych, (Deakin)
Who died on October 21st at 3.00am in Bunbury
mourned by his loving wife and companion, Ann.
He lived for Jesus, sought for truth, had great empathy
for people in need, and for me and for many a source
of wisdom, understanding and life-giving spirituality
And to mum and dad who laid the faith foundation for their six children
and who inspired us to live it as a team,
supporting each other throughout our lives.

Let us pray for priestly and religious vocations and for an apostolic spirit among all the baptised. Through the most holy mysteries of our redemption:

Send forth, O Lord, labourers into your vineyard and spare your people.

Through the merits and intercession of our holy mother and of all the angels and saints:

Send forth, O Lord, labourers into your vineyard and spare your people.

Queen of Apostles and all the angels and saints, pray the Lord of the harvest:

That he send labourers into his vineyard and spare his people; that all may rejoice with him and the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Let your mercy fall upon us abundantly, O Lord, our God, and through the merits and intercessions of the immaculate Virgin Mary, of St. Joseph, and of our holy father Vincent, preserve our community and help its growth. Grant that it may grow in spirit and in number and thus may be able to glorify your name on earth as it already is in heaven. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Apostles
as followers of your son Jesus we have committed ourselves to reawaken faith and enkindle charity both in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Trusting in you, Holy Virgin, we have every confidence with the aid of your intercession; and we direct our powers of body and spirit to the greater glory of God.

Following the example of St Vincent Pallotti, we ask your help to deepen our prayer for the growth of the kingdom; and finally we hope, together with you, to enjoy the fulfilment of paradise forever.

Amen.

Co-authors: Barbara Shea & Rev. John Winson SAC

Pope Francis recently reminded religious that ‘[we] were called to be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in this world.’

This is engagement, whether it is through the contemplative life or active ministries. Consecrated life is one expression of living the Gospels authentically and, at its best, dares the Church in new directions.