ABUJA, Nigeria — The national director of the Pastoral Affairs Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has urged youth chaplains across the country to promptly report allegations of abuse involving minors to both Church and civil authorities, emphasizing that safeguarding is an essential responsibility of youth ministry.
Speaking to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on the sidelines of a June 25 seminar for provincial youth chaplains, Father Augustine Olusegun Fasiku said the Church's commitment to young people requires creating and maintaining safe environments.
"The Church entrusts young people to chaplains not merely to organize programs or celebrate Masses. She entrusts them with the lives, safety, dignity, and spiritual growth of those young people, and so you must report abuse of minors anytime it occurs under your watch," Fasiku said.
Describing youth chaplains as both "pastor and protector," he said every retreat, counseling session, youth gathering, and online interaction should reflect accountability, vigilance, and care.
Fasiku stressed that chaplains have moral, pastoral, canonical, and legal obligations to report allegations of abuse immediately rather than attempt to address them privately.
"The first responsibility is to receive the report seriously and compassionately," he said. "However, the chaplain must remember that he is not an investigator. His role is not to interrogate witnesses or determine guilt. He must promptly report the allegation to the appropriate diocesan safeguarding office or Church authority while ensuring that relevant civil authorities are informed according to legal requirements."
The Nigerian Catholic priest cautioned against efforts to conceal abuse in order to avoid scandal, noting that such actions can expose both individuals and Church institutions to legal consequences.
"There should be no confusion today; Pope Francis abolished the pontifical secret in cases involving sexual abuse of minors. Internal Church procedures cannot be used to prevent cooperation with civil authorities," he said.
Fasiku underscored that canonical procedures and civil legal processes operate alongside one another.
"In Nigeria, withholding information in order to avoid scandal can itself create serious legal consequences. The welfare of the child must always take precedence over institutional reputation," he said.
Referring to Nigeria's Child Rights Act of 2003 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015, he said Church personnel who commit offenses against minors are accountable under both ecclesiastical and civil law.
"What this means is that a priest, chaplain, teacher, or Church worker who commits an offense against a minor is not only answerable to ecclesiastical authorities but also accountable under Nigerian law," he explained.
Fasiku also highlighted provisions of Church law governing safeguarding, citing Canon 1752, which states that the salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church, and Canon 1398, which criminalizes sexual offenses against minors and vulnerable persons, including grooming and the possession of abusive materials.
He further pointed to Pope Francis' motu proprio Vos Estis Lux Mundi (You Are the Light of the World) saying that it establishes mandatory reporting obligations within the Church and mechanisms for holding Church leaders accountable in cases of negligence or cover-ups.
Addressing the dynamics of youth ministry, Fasiku warned that abuse often begins with the misuse of authority and trust.
"Young people frequently see priests as representatives of God. If a chaplain abuses that authority by manipulating a young person's conscience or presenting personal desires as God's will, the consequences can be devastating," he said.
He noted that many young people seek guidance from chaplains during periods of grief, family difficulties, identity struggles, and other personal crises, circumstances that can create significant imbalances of power.
"Parents entrust their children to the Church because they believe the Church will protect them," he said. "Young people themselves share personal struggles because they trust their chaplain."
According to the priest, that trust places a fiduciary obligation on ministers to act solely in the best interests of those entrusted to their care.
He added that no romantic, financial, or exploitative relationship between a chaplain and a young person can ever be justified, because responsibility for maintaining appropriate boundaries rests with the adult minister.
He also outlined practical safeguarding measures, encouraging chaplains to observe the "Two-Adult Rule" and ensure meetings with minors take place in visible and transparent settings.
"Counseling sessions should not occur in isolated private locations. Physical contact should always remain appropriate, public, and nonexclusive," he said.
He further cautioned against favoritism and emotional dependency, warning that special privileges or excessive personal attention to individual youths can foster unhealthy attachments and resemble grooming behavior.
Fasiku also addressed the challenges posed by digital communication, urging chaplains to avoid secretive online interactions with minors.
"Private messaging late at night, disappearing messages, secret chats, or communications that cannot be monitored create unnecessary risks and should be avoided," he said.
He encouraged the use of official and accountable communication channels and recommended involving parents or other responsible adults whenever appropriate.
On care for survivors, Fasiku emphasized that victims of abuse must receive compassionate accompaniment and access to spiritual, psychological, emotional, and medical support.
"The Church's responsibility does not end with receiving a report; accompaniment and healing is an essential component of pastoral care," he said.
He added that accused ministers should have no contact with victims or their families during investigations and that independent pastoral caregivers should be assigned to support those affected while safeguarding the integrity of the process.
Fasiku urged youth chaplains to view safeguarding not as an administrative requirement but as a concrete expression of the Gospel.
"The future of the Church depends greatly on the trust young people place in her; that trust can only flourish when young people know they are safe," he said.
The priest emphasized: "When we protect the vulnerable, we honor Christ. When we create safe environments, we strengthen the Church. And when we place the dignity and welfare of young people at the center of our ministry, we fulfill both our pastoral mission and our legal obligation."
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
