(MALAYSIA)
Herald Malaysia [Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia]
April 4, 2026
A discourse on the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults was held recently for the clergy of the Diocese of Penang at Domus, Minor Basilica of St Anne.
A discourse on the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults was held recently for the clergy of the Diocese of Penang at Domus, Minor Basilica of St Anne.
Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, addressed the clergy and religious through a pre-recorded message. The address, intended as a common diocesan directive, will be shared with ministries working with children across the diocese to raise awareness on safeguarding responsibilities.
Emphasising the central place of children in the Gospel, Cardinal Sebastian reminded those present that Jesus placed the child at the heart of faith and the Kingdom of God.
“Keep the child at the centre of the narrative of the Kingdom of God as Our Lord Jesus did, and you will never go wrong,” he said.
The cardinal encouraged all clergy, religious and lay leaders to actively participate in safeguarding formation programmes. Protecting children, he stressed, is not merely an administrative responsibility but a sacred duty — an expression of love and reverence for those entrusted to the Church’s care. Safeguarding, he added, is an essential dimension of evangelisation and a witness to the Gospel, affirming that the Church must always remain a safe and nurturing environment for every child.
He also expressed gratitude to clergy, religious, lay leaders and the People of God for their commitment to safeguarding initiatives, recalling the words of Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Dr Mary Bharathy, a psychiatrist, outlined the various forms of child abuse — physical, emotional, sexual and neglect — noting that abuse most often occurs within relationships built on trust. She emphasised that a child below the age of 18 cannot give consent and that responsibility always rests with the adult.
Children, she added, rarely disclose abuse immediately. Sudden behavioural changes, fear of a particular adult, withdrawal, regression, or inappropriate sexualised behaviour may be warning signs that require attentive and compassionate response.
Fr Martin Arlando, a canon lawyer, presented an overview of the revised Vos estis lux mundi (March 2023), the Church’s procedural norms for addressing clerical sexual abuse and strengthening accountability among Church leaders. The updated norms expand the scope to include lay leaders of international associations, strengthen protections for victims, define victims to include vulnerable adults, and clarify the responsibilities of bishops and major superiors in conducting investigations.
He also highlighted the importance of the Vademecum issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in July 2020, a procedural handbook intended to guide Church authorities in handling cases of sexual abuse of minors committed by clerics. Together, the two documents reflect the Church’s ongoing effort to address abuse with greater transparency, accountability and pastoral care.
Lawyer Dato’ Domnic Selvam Gnanapragasam briefed participants on canonical developments, particularly the revision of Book VI of the Code of Canon Law. The revisions, he explained, provide clearer norms and more effective mechanisms to ensure accountability, discipline and the protection of the faithful.
Christopher Kushi addressed Malaysian legal developments related to child protection, highlighting the growing risks faced by young people in the digital environment. He noted that the government has introduced several updated legal measures to strengthen child protection, including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, anti-bullying provisions added to the Penal Code in July 2025, and the Online Safety Act 2025, which came into force on January 1, 2026.
He also referenced the Universal Guidelines Framework issued in March 2024 by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (Tutela Minorum), which seeks to establish clear safeguarding standards across the global Church.
At the conclusion of the discourse, Cardinal Sebastian Francis joined the clergy and religious in formally signing the Diocese of Penang’s revised Standards of Pastoral Conduct. The standards were last affirmed in 2022 but have now been expanded from 10 to 15 in response to developments in local legislation and the Universal Guidelines Framework.
The Professional Standards Office of the Diocese of Penang has also introduced new protocols, including the Case Management of Concerns, Allegations and Complaints and the Safeguarding Risk Management Plan, to strengthen safeguarding practices across the diocese.