Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Following Pope Francis’ call on protection of minors and vulnerable persons from sexual abuse in the Church, seminarians at a Kenya-based Catholic Institutions of higher learning; Tangaza University College (TUC) have been reminded that the responsibility is for everybody. 
Fr. Kevin Mwandha
“We are all responsible for the protection and safeguarding of minors and the vulnerable,” Fr. Prof. Kevin Otieno Mwandha, a canonist from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome told fourth year theology students at a virtual session Tuesday, November 9, reminding them that it is not just the role of some individuals in the Church but “all of us.”
According to Prof. Kevin Otieno Mwandha who is based in Rome, it is an essential duty of every believer “to be a shining example of virtue, integrity and holiness, to give concrete witness of faith in Christ, in our lives and in our relationship with others,” hence the call to a “concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church.”
Speaking to over 100 participants who are in their formation to priesthood, Fr. Mwandha a Salesian of Don Bosco, acknowledged that we are all called to holiness “a journey every human person travels every day to fulfil...and we live in society that witnessing of Christ must be manifested through our lives and in our relationship with others.”
The Tuesday moderator Sr. Dr. Jacinta Ondeng, a TUC lecturer for theology students highlighted at the opening of the session that the talk is in response by the College “to enhance efforts by the global Church and Community in promoting safeguarding of children/minors and vulnerable adults in the Church and society.”
According to the member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the talk which was given to students from over 25 congregations is not only to benefit the future priests but also the formators who are journeying with them in their daily formation.
Giving reference to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter“Vos estis lux Mundi” (You are the light of the world), promulgated May 2019 on new procedural norms to combat sexual abuse and ensure that bishops and religious superiors are held accountable for their actions, Fr. Mwandha underscored that “Crimes of sexual abuse offend our Lord, cause physical, psychological and spiritual damage to the victims and harm the community of the faithful.”
In this case, he said, the Pope has issued procedures which are to be adopted universally “to prevent and combat these crimes that betray the trust of the faithful.
Prof. Mwandha who heads a department of Canon Law at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome highlighted some of the procedures from the Apostolic Letter and the canon laws to be applied reminding the seminarians that “The ecclesiastical Authorities shall commit themselves to ensuring that those who state that they have been harmed, together with their families, are to be treated with dignity and respect.”
On his part Fr. Prof. Hans Zollne SJ who talked about the “Global Perspectives on the Sex Abuse Crisis,” emphasized that safeguarding of minus and the vulnerable persons should be part of the mission of the Church.
The German Clergy who lectures at the Institute of Anthropology Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care ant the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, emphasized that the minor and the vulnerable should feel safe in “our Church, Institutions, Schools, and within any kind of spiritual pastoral atmosphere.”
Prof. Zollne advised the seminarians to always learn from the survivors of abuse and “protect the image of the Church, and how to be honest with God.”