Culture of Protection

The Promotion of a Consistent Culture of Protection (PCCP) is a three-year project established to help fulfil the mandate entrusted to Fr. General by the General Congregation 36, ‘to continue working with the Major Superiors and Conferences to promote, within the communities and ministries of the Society, a consistent culture of protection and safety for minors’. This refers to any person under the age of eighteen, or who is considered by law to be the equivalent to a minor.

The prevalence of child abuse both within and outside the Church is a social reality that urgently requires higher levels of understanding and more decisive action in order to promote justice in the matter of child safeguarding and protection. Since this issue is fundamentally a matter of justice, the project comes under the supervision of the Secretariat for Social Justice and Ecology.

Action Plan

The project has two distinct tasks, firstly to map and assess the current situation of safeguarding and protection across the whole Society of Jesus in relation to guidelines for ethical behaviour and safe environments; protocols for dealing with allegations and case management; and training and formation that promotes prevention and a consistent culture of protection.

Secondly, to promote prevention and assist in the development of culturally and ministerially appropriate guidelines, protocols and ongoing formation. It intends to advance and intensify work which has already been done by Provinces, Conferences, networks and ministries.