“The Voice of the Vulnerable – A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence” is the theme for a safeguarding letter and video from Broken Bay Bishop Anthony Randazzo, issued yesterday to people and clergy in his diocese.
In February last year, Bishop Randazzo committed to increasing awareness of the personal and collective ongoing responsibility as a Church community to be vigilant in safeguarding.
“After consultation and discernment, I have decided that the theme for Safeguarding Awareness for 2024 is The Voice of the Vulnerable with a particular focus on Domestic Family Violence. Our approach to this theme is one of advocacy,” Bishop Randazzo writes in the letter.
Bishop Randazzo said family violence “often occurs behind the closed doors of the family home, a place which should be reflective of communion in God’s self-sacrificing love”.
“Recent statistics show that one in four women, and one in eight men, have experienced some form of violence since the age of 15,” Bishop Randazzo said.
“The outcome is that relationships become disfigured to the detriment of the entire family. We cannot remain silent in the face of this difficult reality.
“Our faith acknowledges the dignity of every human person and teaches us that being open to self-sacrificing love brings about a renewal of relationships. We must be intentional in teaching and mirroring to our children and young people safe, respectful, and life-giving relationships.”
The resource, A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence, is available on the Broken Bay website and a calendar of events to support the theme across the diocese’s parishes, chancery, CatholicCare and Catholic Schools Broken Bay is being developed and implemented.
The video is also available on the Broken Bay Diocese’s YouTube channel.
FULL STORY
Bishop Anthony Randazzo’s diocesan safeguarding letter (Broken Bay Diocese)
A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence (Broken Bay Diocese)
