Creating a Safe Environment: More Than 300 Priests Attend Training in Zarvanytsia

More than 300 priests from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Ternopil-Zboriv Archdiocese took part in a large-scale training session in Zarvanytsia focused on protecting minors and vulnerable persons. The training was organized by the UCU Child Dignity Centre.

This was the second such training organized by the UCU Child Dignity Centre in cooperation with Fr. Sava Masnyk of the UGCC Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, at the request of Bishop Teodor Martyniuk, Metropolitan of the Ternopil-Zboriv Archdiocese.

The session was led by Ivanka Rudakevych, head of the “Church” division at the UCU Child Dignity Centre. She emphasized the importance of clergy continuously deepening their knowledge of child abuse prevention.

“Priests are influential figures within their parishes. The better they understand what can be done to prevent abuse, the more awareness they can raise among their communities,” said Ivanka Rudakevych. “We are always glad to take part in initiatives like this. We thank Bishop Teodor for the invitation.”

She noted that the training prompted many constructive discussions, with participants asking frank and important questions.

“We spoke openly, and that is what makes these training sessions so valuable: being able to ask questions without fear of judgment and to answer them just as openly,” emphasized the head of the Church Department at the UCU Child Dignity Centre.

The training explored spiritual abuse of minors in detail, including how it can become a first step toward further abuse. Participants also discussed the barriers that prevent children and adults from speaking openly about abuse in a parish, camp, or family.