According to Bishop Charles Morerod, there should be no spiritual, sexual or power abuse in his diocese. He therefore welcomes the introduction of a code of conduct for dealing with power.

This was created by the German-speaking part of the diocese. That document aim to prevent all forms of abuse: sexual, spiritual, and abuse of authority. It is aimed at all employees and volunteers and is intended to serve as a tool for personal discussions and as a practical guide in all activities.

The primary goal of the document is to protect the integrity of all people and to create a safe climate for employees as well as for employers. Later this year, through consultation and discussion, it will also be made available to French-speaking pastoral workers diocese notice.

Prepared by pastoral assistants

The guide was developed over a year by a team of pastoral officers from the departments and pastoral care units of the Deutschfreiburg region. Died in close cooperation with the abuse prevention association «Limita».

According to the diocese, the Code sets out a clear working framework that invites constant reflection. The document will be distributed to pastoral assistants and catechists in Deutschfreiburg today and in the coming days.

A pre-existing charter

A diocesan charter that has been in force since 2019, which primarily concerns sexual abuse, already shows the principles of the diocese. This charter remains a supplement to the newly introduced code of conduct, which is more practical and lists, for example, concrete situations in the form of checklists. The charter and code of conduct indicate the desired cultural change within the Catholic institution.

After various steps to prevent abuse since 2012, Bishop Morerod appointed Mari Carmen Avila as his representative in the field of prevention at the beginning of November 2022. It not only deals with the prevention of sexual, spiritual and power abuse, but also with the prevention of addiction.

They reiterate the deliberations and support of a Working Group on Prevention, active since June 2022, to identify needs and priorities in the field of prevention in the diocese. The working group deals with contacts to companies, national and international institutions, human resources departments and psychologists in order to bundle initiatives in the field of prevention. (kath.ch)