Safety
Safe Working Environments for Clergy
Our Programs
Objectives
The Safe Working Environments for Clergy and Religious Program aims to provide living and working environments that are free from violent attacks from outsiders. This program provides funding to augment resources provided by the government to increase the physical security of rectories, convents, and schools where our religious and priests live.
Benificiaries
Target beneficiaries are the 163 priests, 131 brothers, and 109 sisters living in the four Dioceses (Freetown, Makeni, Kenema, and Bo) of Sierra Leone.
Viability
The Order of St. John Paul II began supplementing government funding for clergy and religious security at select facilities in 2019. The Order’s Directors have made continuing support of this program a top priority and is working with local populations to increase their financial support of this important mission.
Sustainability
The Government of Sierra Leone has committed to pay the on-going salary of security guards for these facilities. The Order of St. John Paul II has committed to paying all travel costs associated with getting the guards to/from their stations/homes to these facilities. The Order is working to increase the participation of local communities in funding the increased security presence.
Background
In 2019, a series of vicious attacks occurred at number of Catholic convents and rectories throughout Sierra Leone. On May 2, 2019, the Catholic Sisters of Notre Dame were attacked in Bumbuna. On May 16, 2019, the Clarissan Missionary Sisters of Guadalupe were attacked at Mile 91 along the Bo Road. An attack and robbery occurred in the early morning hours of May 19, 2019, at the Josephite Fathers of Murialdo compound in Lunsar. Later that same day, similar attacks were made on the St. Joseph Cluny Sisters in Moyamba and the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Kambia.
The Catholic Mission in Sierra Leone made an urgent request to the Order of St. John Paul II to intercede to help stop these attacks on helpless Catholic nuns and priests in Sierra Leone. The Order contacted the then Inspector General of Police, Dr. Richard Moigbe, to see what could be done to stop this wave of violence. The Inspector General assured the Order that increased steps were being taken to protect the convents but said funding would be needed to support long- term security at the sites. The Order agreed to provide the funds needed to support the security efforts.
Since the Order began providing security support, none of the convents under the Order’s umbrella have been attacked. The Order currently is funding security at 10 convents:
- St. Joseph Sisters Convent on Charlotte Street
- St. Joseph Sisters Convent on Hill Station
- Holy Rosary Sisters Convent on Black Hall Road
- Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus Sisters at the St. Mary Fatima Interim Care Center at Number 2 River
- St. Joseph Sisters Convent in Mayamba
- St. Joseph Sisters Convent in Magburuka
- Sisters of Notre Dame Convent in Bumbuna
- Sisters of Notre Dame Convent in Makeni
- Holy Rosary Sisters Convent in Bo
- St. Joseph Sisters Convent in Makeni
We Invite Your Support
Your generous donation will help The Order of St. John Paul II realize its goals for these West Africa Programs.