This week the Diocese of Parramatta marks the fifth anniversary of Safe Parishes Week from 1 – 7 June 2026 where parishes, ministries and agencies celebrate and strengthen our shared commitment to safeguarding as an essential expression of the Church’s mission.
Safe Parishes Week is not only an annual initiative but a visible sign of a deeper, year-round commitment to ensuring that every parish and ministry is a place where children and adults are safe, respected and valued.
As Anthony Saliba, a Safeguarding Champion and Finance Manager at Mary Immaculate Parish, Quakers Hill says “celebrating Safe Parishes week brings the importance of Safeguarding closer to home and helps to continue to enculturate the importance of protecting our younger and vulnerable members of our diocesan community.”
Badges for parishioners who are involved in the Diocese of Parramatta’s Safeguarding Champions Program. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
Launched in 2021 by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv and the Safeguarding Council, Safe Parishes Week was established as an Australian-first initiative to raise awareness of how everyone in a parish community contributes to making a parish safe.
“The Diocese of Parramatta is committed to being a community of safeguarding that actively promote the dignity and rights of children and of all persons, particularly those who may be vulnerable.
“We have a zero tolerance to abuse of any form. We are committed to ensuring that all children and vulnerable adults under our care are safe, protected and enabled to flourish,” said Bishop Vincent at the time.
More than words, Safe Parishes Week has been a practical way to embed a culture of Safeguarding.
Over the five years, several initiatives have rolled out including a bespoke online Safeguarding Training Platform. Every employee, clergy, religious and volunteer must complete mandatory modules every two years. Clergy and ministry leaders are also asked to complete a selection of elective modules, some of which explore domestic violence and elder abuse.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta blesses the artwork for ‘The Parramatta Way of Safeguarding’ displayed at the Bethany Centre in Parramatta on Wednesday 8 June 2022. Image: Diocese of Parramatta.
In 2022, a signature blue ‘Safeguarding Parishes Kit’ was distributed to all Parishes as a tangible resource to illustrate the Parramatta Way of Safeguarding. This ensures all Safeguarding policies and guides for safe practices for Volunteers in Parish Ministry and Youth Ministry are public and accessible.
In this year, 25 Parish Safeguarding Champions were also commissioned. The role of the Champion is to be another voice of encouragement and a source of clarity as each parish builds on its safeguarding commitments. This has now grown to 39 Parish Safeguarding Champions and two in our chaplaincies. Three of these Champions are also trainers who assist with the Online Training, creating a continuous cycle of feedback and improvement.
In 2024 the Diocese invited children to share their views on what makes them feel safe at Church, through The Kids’ Voices Art Competition which attracted over 110 entries.
One of the winners Diya, aged 10, said “I drew hands holding a church because I always feel that God is holding my church and protecting us.”
The 2024 Kids’ Voices Art Competition. Image: Jazz Chalouhi/threetwoone Photography /Diocese of Parramatta.
Over the past five years, Safe Parishes Week has become a key moment in the diocesan calendar. It has helped to embed safeguarding more deeply into parish life through formation, awareness, training and open conversation. What began as a focused initiative has grown into a more integrated culture of care – one that recognises safeguarding not as an addition to Church life, but as central to it.
As Pope Leo affirmed “The protection of minors and persons in vulnerable situations is not an isolated area of ecclesial life, but a dimension that permeates pastoral care, formation, governance, and discipline.
This had permeated through our Parishes.
“The most noticeable change over the last five years is the amount of conversation on the topic of safeguarding,” says Anthony.
“Many [volunteers] ask whether they need to do any training for the work they do in the parish which helps to keep the conversation about safety and safeguarding going.
“Our awareness of who some of our vulnerable adults are in our parish community has also grown and with it the impetus to meet these new opportunities to engage with them.
On Father’s Day, Sunday 7 September, Our Lady of Angels Parish Rouse Hill celebrated a Mass with joy to recognise the canonisation of Bl Carlo Acutis and Bl Pier Geogio Frassati. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“The way in which we onboard new members into ministry has also developed over the past five years as well as enhanced our record keeping. Bringing the awareness of safety and helping to protect the safety of others has also helped our youth groups understand the importance of this subject,” said Anthony.
Safe Parishes Week is both a celebration and a renewal. It is a time to give thanks for the progress made, and to recommit to the work that remains. It is also a time to pray for those who have been harmed, and to reaffirm the Diocese’s commitment to walking with survivors in listening, support and healing.
“Our past failings cannot be undone. However, we remain steadfast in our future commitments to ensure our current child protection processes and procedures offer a safeguard from predatory behaviour,” said Bishop Vincent.
“In all of our works, ministries and activities, we respond to the call of the Gospel to protect those who are vulnerable by fostering culture, education, systems, processes and environments where the safety and wellbeing of children and vulnerable people is paramount.”
Safe Parishes Week is an example of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan objective to be a Humble and Healing Church, and the Diocesan priority of Listening, Dialogue and Discernment. Visit Synodality to learn more.
