Prioritize human dignity and where harm has occurred, seek restorative justice

Institutions of the Church must uphold and respect the inherent dignity of each member of the body of Christ who are impacted by its decisions and structures.

• Form leaders in restorative justice practices and cultural competency.

• Recognize the human dignity of all the people involved in or affected by decisions.

• Prioritize mental health and work to destigmatize mental health concerns by providing access to mental health services for all staff.

• Practice empathy in leadership and pastoral relationships by actively listening and facilitating conversations that respect dignity, value vulnerability, and encourage openness.

• Review the operations of your institution and ask if any practices limit or discourage individuals or communities from actively taking part and what steps can be taken to foster more inclusion.

• Consider changing meeting times; offering child care or programming simultaneously with other meetings; offering accommodations to those with special needs such as vision impairment or food reactivity; and updating facilities to ensure safe access for those with differing abilities.

• Promote and support intentional Catholic communities and welcome their role in your parish, diocese, or Catholic institution.