institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.19 All Catholic religious institutes in Australia, in Noted consultation with their international leadership The Queensland Government notes this and the Holy See as required, should recommendation. The Queensland implement measures to address the risks of Government encourages religious harm to children and the potential institutions to consider and respond to psychological and sexual dysfunction the Royal Commission’s associated with a celibate rule of religious life. recommendations. This should include consideration of whether and how existing models of religious life could be modified to facilitate alternative forms of association, shorter terms of celibate commitment, and/or voluntary celibacy (where that is consistent with the form of association that has been chosen). 16.20 In order to promote healthy lives for those who Noted choose to be celibate, the Australian Catholic The Queensland Government notes this Bishops Conference and all Catholic religious recommendation. The Queensland institutes in Australia should further develop, Government encourages religious regularly evaluate and continually improve, institutions to consider and respond to their processes for selecting, screening and the Royal Commission’s training of candidates for the clergy and recommendations. religious life, and their processes of ongoing formation, support and supervision of clergy and religious. 16.21 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Noted and Catholic Religious Australia should The Queensland Government notes this establish a national protocol for screening recommendation. The Queensland candidates before and during seminary or Government encourages religious religious formation, as well as before institutions to consider and respond to ordination or the profession of religious vows. the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.22 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Noted and Catholic Religious Australia should The Queensland Government notes this establish a mechanism to ensure that recommendation. The Queensland diocesan bishops and religious superiors draw Government encourages religious upon broad-ranging professional advice in institutions to consider and respond to their decision-making, including from staff the Royal Commission’s from seminaries or houses of formation, recommendations. psychologists, senior clergy and religious, and lay people, in relation to the admission of individuals to: seminaries and houses of religious formation ordination and/or profession of vows 16.23 In relation to guideline documents for the Noted formation of priests and religious: The Queensland Government notes this The Australian Catholic Bishops recommendation. The Queensland Conference should review and revise Government encourages religious the Ratio nationalis institutionis institutions to consider and respond to sacerdotalis: Programme for priestly the Royal Commission’s formation (current version December recommendations. 2015), and all other guideline documents relating to the formation of
institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.19 All Catholic religious institutes in Australia, in consultation with their international leadership and the Holy See as required, should implement measures to address the risks of harm to children and the potential psychological and sexual dysfunction associated with a celibate rule of religious life. This should include consideration of whether and how existing models of religious life could be modified to facilitate alternative forms of association, shorter terms of celibate commitment, and/or voluntary celibacy (where that is consistent with the form of association that has been chosen). Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.20 In order to promote healthy lives for those who choose to be celibate, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and all Catholic religious institutes in Australia should further develop, regularly evaluate and continually improve, their processes for selecting, screening and training of candidates for the clergy and religious life, and their processes of ongoing formation, support and supervision of clergy and religious. Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.21 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia should establish a national protocol for screening candidates before and during seminary or religious formation, as well as before ordination or the profession of religious vows. Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.22 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia should establish a mechanism to ensure that diocesan bishops and religious superiors draw upon broad-ranging professional advice in their decision-making, including from staff from seminaries or houses of formation, psychologists, senior clergy and religious, and lay people, in relation to the admission of individuals to: seminaries and houses of religious formation ordination and/or profession of vows Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.23 In relation to guideline documents for the formation of priests and religious: The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference should review and revise the Ratio nationalis institutionis sacerdotalis: Programme for priestly formation (current version December 2015), and all other guideline documents relating to the formation of Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
gov-response-royal-commision-child-abuse.docx