Fostering Integrity in Ministry (FIM)
Fostering Integrity in Ministry (FIM) constitutes part of the response of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus to issues of sexual misconduct. Recognizing our constant need for depth, Jesuits are challenged to strive for integrity not only in dealing with allegations of abuse, but also and more fundamentally in reviewing our practices of living out chastity, poverty, and obedience, in the spirit of the Ignatian examen. Such review includes translating principled imperatives into parameters of concrete behavior that foster integrity in ministry.
In the best sense, integrity means not only honesty or moral uprightness, but also wholeness or being undivided. For Jesuits, it is the fruit of our consistent effort to minister to people with utmost fidelity to the Society’s conviction of faith-that-does-justice. It requires a continuous process of striving to gather all the disparate aspects of one’s self and placing them under the Standard of the Cross. May the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we owe our vocation as Jesuits, grant us hearts that are undivided in love and service ad majorem Dei gloriam.
General Protocol Regarding Cases of Sexual Misconduct
Though sexual misconduct of religious and ordained ministers has been a tragic fact in the history of the Church, our contemporary context has made us more profoundly aware of the gravity of its nature and consequences on all the constituencies of the Church and wider society. Responding as a religious body in this context, we formulate a general protocol not only in relation to pertinent developments in the human sciences and civil law, but also out of a greater sensitivity to the moral and religious nature of such misconduct.
In general, any case of sexual misconduct by a religious or ordained minister is a misuse of pastoral authority and a betrayal of ministerial trust. This is even truer in Philippine culture which bestows high religious and cultural regard on religious and priests, and therefore establishes a power differential between religious/clerics, regardless of their personal qualities and qualifications, and all those they are called to minister to.
Jesuits from other Provinces or jurisdictions fall under the responsibility of their own Major Superiors. The Philippine Province protocols aim to serve the welfare of person/s who might have been harmed by the alleged misconduct, the integrity of the ministry of the Church and the Society, and the care of the Jesuit. Moreover, as a general outline of procedures, it establishes processes for fulfilling the requirements of each case.
Sexual misconduct here covers any behavior that is inappropriate for religious with the vow of chastity and for ordained ministers committed to celibate life, behavior which is thus destructive of their ministerial relationship with those they are missioned to serve. Though awareness and intention of the Jesuit are relevant considerations, what is central are the objective behavior that violates religious, clerical, and professional boundaries and how such behavior is perceived by the other party.
To complement general protocols, Jesuit institutions or ministry clusters may formulate specific protocols in keeping with their particular status and the appropriate code of ethics for their ministry.
The Interior Bond between the Provincial and Every Jesuit
The fundamental religious bond between the Provincial and every Jesuit is constitutive of the charism and tradition of the Society of Jesus. It is realized through the annual Account of Conscience. In relation to this bond, the Account of Conscience offers a privileged occasion when the Jesuit’s life of chastity, among other important aspects, can be shared and reflected on.
The Provincial and each member of the Province are invited to an ever-deeper appreciation and realization of the Account of Conscience as an integral part of Jesuit heritage. On the part of the Provincial, “[he] should have a complete understanding of the subjects, that by means of this knowledge [he] may be able to direct and govern them better, and while caring for them guide them better into the paths of the Lord. Likewise, the more thoroughly [he is] aware of the interior and exterior affairs of [his] subjects, with so much greater diligence, love, and care will [he] be able to help the subjects and to guard their souls from various difficulties and dangers which might occur later on (Cons 91-92).” On the part of the individual Jesuits, “in everything they should proceed in a spirit of charity, keeping nothing exterior or interior hidden from superiors and desiring them to be informed about everything, so that superiors may be better able to direct them in everything along the path of salvation and perfection (Cons 551).” The Account of Conscience, then, facilitates genuine discernment based on truthfulness and cura personalis in all matters related to each member’s life and ministry.
Though the privileged context of a Jesuit’s interior life and the cura personalis it requires remain a paramount consideration for the Provincial, situations arise where the Jesuit’s behavior harms others and/or the ministry of the Society and the Church. In such cases, the interior bond between the Provincial and the Jesuit should not prevent the Provincial from acting for the common good.
Whatever course of action the Provincial takes with regard to a Jesuit who has been involved in sexual misconduct must be in accord with Church and Jesuit law and practice, grounded in Christian moral values, and not in violation of civil law.
This course of action should consider whatever effect the sexual misconduct may have had on others—first and foremost, the person/s involved in the misconduct, if any, and the apostolic institution as well as the Jesuit and wider communities. If deemed necessary, appropriate restitution for those involved must be included. Moreover, the Provincial may pass on to the Jesuit’s Local Superior and Director of Work pertinent information about this course of action without violating the requirements of internal forum.