By Viktoriia Havaleshko
One of our community evening guests in November was Teresa Morris Kettelkamp, adjunct secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) and a former colonel of the Illinois State Police, in the United States, where she dedicated 29 years to public service.
A moment of dialogue with Teresa became an invitation for our residential community to reflect on the importance of personal responsibility in building safe environments for children, young people, and vulnerable individuals.
After serving as executive director of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), she was invited by Pope Francis in 2018 to join the Pontifical Commission. There, she coordinated the working group on victim healing and the integration of survivors’ voices into the life of the Church. During the evening, she shared stories from her many years in law enforcement and drew meaningful parallels with the challenges the Church faces today.
Safeguarding: Everyone’s Moral Responsibility
As Teresa Morris Kettelkamp emphasized, safety grows where each member of the community understands their role and is ready to act.
Residents also had the opportunity to review the 2024 Annual Report on the Church’s safeguarding policies and procedures, produced by the Commission. The report outlines steps taken by Church institutions to respond to and prevent abuse, support and protect victims, and implement institutional reforms aimed at prevention and accountability.
Serving as a roadmap for concrete action, the report highlights the importance of transparent communication with victims and underscores that effective safeguarding depends on the active involvement of all the faithful.
Photo: Karina Gandour
