KAMPALA, Uganda — Safeguarding coordinators and seminary representatives from the member episcopal conferences of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) gathered in Uganda from February 17-21, 2025, to discuss the implementation of safeguarding recommendations within seminaries.

The meeting focused on translating the insights gained from last year’s capacity-building sessions into actionable steps for seminaries. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating safeguarding principles into moral theology, spirituality, and seminary curricula, either as part of existing courses or as standalone subjects.

Rev. Fr. Florence Rutaihwa, AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator, reaffirmed the commitment to safeguarding as a fundamental pillar of the commission’s work.

“We are committed to safeguarding, ensuring the well-being and protection of all individuals, especially children and vulnerable persons. Safeguarding is not just about having policies; it is about creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to report concerns and act with vigilance against abuse, neglect, or exploitation. By rediscovering our cultural and Christian contemplative wisdom, we can deepen our contemplative practice and foster ongoing transformation.” – Rev. Fr. Florence Rutaihwa

The forum underscored the necessity of training and ongoing formation in safeguarding at all levels of priestly formation and ministry. Key priorities identified included raising awareness, promptly addressing concerns, collaborating with external agencies, and ensuring accountability.

A major point of discussion was the role of seminaries in fostering a culture of safeguarding among prospective priests. The formation of the future generation of priests must be centered on equipping them with the practical tools, the accountability and the pastoral sensitivity required to recognize, prevent and respond to abuse within the Church. Beyond the immediate goal of policy implementation, the broader vision is to instill a deep-rooted sense of evangelical reasonability in future clergy members, to understand that reporting abuse is the most fundamental step towards recurrence prevention. To strengthen safeguarding measures in 2025, participants agreed to support two episcopal conferences in developing Ratio Fundamentalis Nationalis, aligning policies with the Universal Guidelines Framework. They also committed to launching the Memorare Initiative, an effort to deepen safeguarding awareness and best practices. Additionally, a Training of Trainers program will be conducted to focus on responses to abuse, abuse investigations, and documentation. A safeguarding supervision program will also be piloted in two major seminaries.

“AMECEA’s strategy of bringing together multiple stakeholders to learn from one another and plan collectively is a significant advantage in safeguarding initiatives.” – Augusta Muthigani, PCPM representative at the seminary

By implementing these initiatives, AMECEA and its partners seek to reinforce a culture of safeguarding, ensuring that every seminarian has access to support, and fostering an environment where reporting abuse is both encouraged and facilitated.