Trust and Dialogue in the Catholic Church: "Child-Friendly Church" Study Presented at a Conference in Canada

Ivanka Rudakevych, Head of the "Church" division at the UCU Child Dignity Centre, participated in the international conference "Trust and Dialogue in the Catholic Church: Rethinking Power and Relationship Dynamics," held from October 13–16 at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. This event is part of the international project "Towards a Trustworthy Church," in which the Center for Child Dignity is a participant.

Ivanka Rudakevych explains that the conference focused on the restoration of trust and dialogue within the Catholic Church—trust and dialogue that had been lost following the revelation, over the past few decades, of instances of child abuse.

The event brought together scholars from around the world who have been involved in researching "Restorative Dialogue" between the laity and the Church as part of the project "Towards a Trustworthy Church." The principal investigators for this project are Dr. Karlijn Demasure from Saint Paul University (Ottawa, Canada) and Dr. Sheila McMahon from the University of San Diego (USA).

Researchers presented their studies and findings on this topic, which will help restore trust in the Church—ensuring that it truly listens to victims, stops abusers, and does everything possible to prevent such instances of abuse from ever happening again.

At the conference, Ivanka Rudakevych presented research from the "Child-Friendly Church" Center.

"At first glance, our research does not directly address the topic of violence. Instead, it focuses on the beliefs held by the clergy and laity of the UGCC regarding what a child-friendly Church should look like. I discussed this vision at the parish level and outlined practical steps that believers are prepared to take—steps that would truly allow a child to be welcomed into the church community as an individual with a voice and a dignity equal to that of an adult. After all, it is these practical steps that build the trust necessary to help prevent violence," explains Ivanka Rudakevych.

She adds that through one’s attitude, the building of trust, and respect demonstrated in actions rather than just words, we can observe how a child is accepted—which, in turn, shapes how the child will perceive things should something unacceptable happen to them: specifically, whether or not they will have someone to turn to.

Her presentation sparked keen interest among the conference participants.

"I see value in the fact that we have brought a Ukrainian context to this conference. Our experience is quite distinct, as we are an Eastern Catholic Church—which entails a different tradition, a married priesthood, and so on. This also has a specific bearing on our work regarding the prevention of violence," emphasizes Ivanka Rudakevych.

"For our Center—as part of the academic community of the Ukrainian Catholic University—it is important to connect with other universities on the topic of violence prevention within such academic platforms. The goal is to collectively seek ways to make an impact, rather than merely 'putting out fires,' because this is truly about our future," concludes Ivanka Rudakevych.