WelCom December 2022
The Royal Commission’s Public Hearing into the responses of faith-based institutions to abuse in their care, took place from 13–21 October. The hearing examined witnesses from particular faith institutions, including the Catholic Church, on matters set out in the Royal Commission’s Terms of Reference, focusing on failures by faith institutions to prevent and respond to abuse in faith-based care. This was the last public hearing in which representatives for the Catholic Church will need to appear.
Te Rōpū Tautoko is the group co-ordinating the response of the Catholic Church in Aotearoa to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. Tautoko’s work will now focus on the commission’s various reports including the Final Report that is due in June 2023, and interacting with the Crown Response Unit, which is charged with putting the commission’s recommendations into action. Tautoko has released a roadmap of the changes the Church needs to make in anticipation of the Commission’s final recommendations. The roadmap is on Tautoko’s website at tautoko.catholic.org.nz/roadmap