Glossary

Glossary Item	Definition
ALMA (Association of Lourdes Motherwell Aid)	This Association, in the Diocese of Motherwell, has two distinct but integral functions. One branch of ALMA works in the community with people who have additional support needs, providing regular social activities. The other branch is a group of young volunteers who accompany the Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, giving essential support to the sick, elderly and infirm.
Adult at risk	Section 3(1) of the Adult Support and Protection Act, passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2007, defines "adults at risk" as persons aged 16 or over who: are unable to safeguard their own well-being, property, rights or other interests; are at risk of harm; and because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity, are more vulnerable to being harmed than adults who are not so affected. The presence of a particular condition does not automatically mean an adult is an "adult at risk". Someone could have a disability but be able to safeguard their well-being etc. It is important to stress that all three elements of this definition must be met. It is the whole of an adult's particular circumstances which can combine to make them more vulnerable to harm than others.
Apostolic Nuncio	A Papal Nuncio (officially known as an Apostolic Nuncio) is a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state, having the rank of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, and the ecclesiastical rank of titular Archbishop. The Nuncio is also the Holy See’s representative to the Church in the nation that he serves.
Celebret	A document from a Catholic Bishop or Religious Superior testifying that the bearer is a priest and asking that he be permitted to celebrate Mass in dioceses other than his own.
Centre for excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CeLSIS)	CELSIS is governed by a Strategic Advisory Board (SAB), supported by the University of Strathclyde, and monitored by the Scottish Government. They are committed to making positive and lasting improvements in the well-being of Scotland's children living in and on the edges of care. They work alongside partners, professionals and systems with responsibility for nurturing vulnerable children and families. Together they work to understand the issues, build on existing strengths, introduce best possible practice and develop solutions.
Child	Within this document, and in Church documents generally, a child is understood to be a person under the age of 18.
Cleric	An ordained man: Bishop, Priest or Deacon.
[Code of] Canon Law	The codified Universal Law of the Church. The present Code was first issued in 1983 with various amendments having since been published. It applies to the Latin Rite Church.
Conference of Religious in Scotland Safeguarding Commission (CRSSC)	Works in close communication with the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland to support and assist the Congregational Leaders /CRS Safeguarding Link Co-ordinators to oversee and manage the process concerning current Safeguarding issues involving Religious.
Confessor	A Priest given faculties by a Bishop or Major Superior to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) with penitents. Such faculties are usually universal i.e. can be used anywhere.
Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF)	The Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia Pastor Bonus states: “The duty proper to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on the faith and morals throughout the Catholic world: for this reason everything which in any way touches such matter falls within its competence”. The CDF is the body that deals with serious sexual offences perpetrated by Clerics against minors.
Convent	A type of religious house where a group of Religious Brothers or Sisters live by their proper constitutions. A Religious house, which is established in a diocese with the express permission of the diocesan Bishop, is subject to the authority of a Major Superior.
Criminal Justice	A system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts.
CRS Safeguarding Link Co-ordinator	A member of a Religious Congregation in Scotland who has been appointed by the Congregational Leader to support them to ensure that all safeguarding policies approved by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland are effectively and appropriately implemented within the Congregations.
Data Protection Act (DPA)	Controls how personal information can be used and your rights to ask for information about yourself.
Diocesan Risk Assessment and Management Team (DRAMT)	The purpose of the DRAMT is to advise the Bishop on the management of allegations against clergy and Diocesan personnel. It also considers any convictions on PVGs and those who are Listed and Barred or are being considered for such. In all these matters they make recommendations to the Bishop for further action.
Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA)	The role of the DSA is to assist the Bishop with the development and management of Diocesan Safeguarding approaches. Has a central role in providing support and may also chair the DSAG meetings (and any subgroups thereof).
Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Group (DSAG)	The purpose of this Group is to ensure that each Bishop has available to him the necessary advice, support and expertise in relation to child protection and vulnerable adult issues. The core membership of the group should include relevant experts and representatives from appropriate Diocesan agencies.
Diocesan Safeguarding Officer	A person who supports the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser and the DSAG in relation to the safe recruitment of volunteers and the provision of Safeguarding training in the Diocese.
Disqualified from Working with Adults List (DWAL)	A list maintained by Disclosure Scotland for those barred from working with Adults.
Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL)	A list maintained by Disclosure Scotland for those barred from working with Children.
Future Pathways: Scotland’s In Care Survivor Support Fund	The In Care Survivor Support Fund (ICSSF) opened on 29 September 2016 and offers a person-centred, outcomes-based, approach that identifies what matters to survivors. ICSSF was renamed Future Pathways on 20 February 2017.
HCPT (Hosanna House & Children’s Pilgrimage Trust)	A charity offering pilgrimages to Lourdes for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people from around the UK and further afield.
Health in Mind Counselling	A charity which promotes positive mental health and well-being in Scotland, principally through its Counselling services.
Holy See	The Holy or Apostolic See is the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) and the central governing organ of the universal Roman Catholic Church. In international law it enjoys an international juridic personality.
Independent Review Group (IRG)	This Group was established by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland in response to one of the recommendations made by the McLellan Commission to ensure external and independent scrutiny of the Safeguarding policies and practices of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
Information Commissioner’s Office	An independent regulatory office (dealing with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 across the UK.
Listing and Barring	Refers to the process by which someone is considered for Listing and Barring and, if listed, is then placed on the DWCL or DWCA List or both.
MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements)	The set of arrangements which the police service, local authority, prison service, health service and others are statutorily obliged to operate on a multiagency basis, with the objective of protecting the public from the risks that may be posed by sex offenders.
Major [Religious] Superior	Responsible for the leadership in a particular part of a Religious Congregation, often a Province.
Metropolitan	A metropolitan, who is the Archbishop of his own diocese, also presides over an ecclesiastical province. The other dioceses in a province are known as suffragan. The Metropolitan has no power of governance over any suffragan bishop or diocese.
McLellan Commission	A Commission appointed by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland to review the suitability and robustness of the Safeguarding procedures and protocols of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
National Child Abuse Investigation Units (NCAIU)	Specialist units, within Police Scotland, to support the investigation of complex child abuse and neglect across Scotland.
National Confidential Forum (NCF)	The NCF has been set up as part of the Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014. The Scottish Government has legislated for and funded the NCF to show the importance given to the experiences of adults who were in care as children. The forum is independent from the Government.
Novitiate	Can refer to both the house where novices undergo their novitiate and to the process of the novitiate itself. The process is one whereby those seeking entry to a Religious Congregation discern, and are assessed, prior to any admission to temporary profession as a member of the Religious Congregation.
Offender Management Unit	A dedicated Unit within each Division of Police Scotland with specialist officers working in partnership through Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) to manage Registered Sex Offenders.
Ordinary	In addition to the Pope, the title of Ordinar y refers to diocesan bishops and others who, even if only temporarily, are placed over some diocese or a community equivalent to it, as well as those who possess general ordinary executive power in them, namely: vicars general and episcopal vicars; likewise, for their own members, major superiors of clerical religious institutes of pontifical right and of clerical societies of apostolic life of pontifical right who at least possess ordinary executive power.
Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator (PSC)	Someone who has been appointed by the Parish Priest and trained to ensure that all policies approved by the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and disseminated from the Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Service are effectively and appropriately implemented in the parish.
Permanent Diaconate	A deacon is an ordained Cleric with certain proper functions in the life of the Church, subject to proper ecclesiastical authority. Deacons may be Transitional or Permanent. Transitional Deacons are on the way to ordination to the Priesthood and take a promise of lifelong celibacy. Permanent Deacons are ordained to fulfil the ministry and office of Deacon in the life of the local Church (a diocese); they may be married men. The role of the Deacon is to assist the Priest in preaching, the conferral of baptism, performance of marriage, the administration of parishes and similar duties.
Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors	An advisory body of international experts, established by Pope Francis to advance the commitment of the Church to ensure the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.
Presbytery	The residence of the priests in a parish.
Propaedeutic period	The time for candidates preparing to be admitted to seminary to follow the formation programme leading to ordination to the Priesthood. The participants normally share a common life in a seminary setting under the direction of a Rector.
Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG)	Managed by Disclosure Scotland, the PVG Scheme is intended to ensure that all who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults have been vetted to ensure their suitability for such work.
Public Protection Unit (PPU)	A dedicated Unit within each Division of Police Scotland with specialist officers working in relation to child protection, neglect and abuse investigations, the management of dangerous offenders i.e. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault including historical sex offences and the protection of vulnerable adults.
Raphael Counselling Service	A Counselling service for survivors of abuse, provided by Health in Mind, and independent of the Catholic Church.
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)	Through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), people who are interested in becoming members of the Catholic Church are officially welcomed by the Church as members of the faith community.
Registered Sex Offender (RSO)	Sex offenders, when convicted of a specified offence, are placed on the Sex Offenders Register commonly referred to as the register. All offenders placed on the Sex Offenders Register are recorded and managed on the ViSOR database that is used by all police forces in Great Britain as well as number of other agencies including Criminal Justice Social Work and Scottish Prison Service.
Religious	A person (priest, deacon, brother or sister) who is a professed member of a Religious Community.
Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela (SST)	The supplement to the Code of Canon Law which details how canonical processes should be handled in these cases where there is an allegation against a Cleric of a sexual nature involving a minor.
Sacristan	A person who prepares the Church for the celebration of the sacraments. He or she may manage the Church or sacristy in a wider role.
Sacristy	The part of a Church where preparations are made for the celebrations in the Church. It is usually a discrete room where vestments, sacred vessels and other items are stored. It would normally be the place where those involved in celebrations congregate and vest prior to the celebration.
Safeguarding Action Plan	A document which details areas of improvement that have been identified in the Safeguarding Audit and specifies what training needs are required.
Safeguarding Policy Leaflet	A booklet which is issued to everyone who works with children /young people /vulnerable adults within the Catholic Church in Scotland, explaining what to do and whom to contact if they have concerns about a child/young person/vulnerable adult.
Scottish Catholic Media Office (SCMO)	An agency of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland which provides a service to the press and media, offering information on the activities of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
Scottish Government Survivor Scotland Strategy	This strategic team’s focus is to improve and develop workforces and the services they deliver that treat, care for and support survivors across all domains of health and well-being.
Secular Institute	Secular Institutes were formally recognised by the Church in 1947 as a form of consecrated life in the apostolic constitution Provida Mater. Members of Secular Institutes live entirely in the world. Like all other lay people they share the responsibility to live gospel values and attitudes in family and social relationships and in the workplace. They are also committed to being involved in the life of the Church. They are called to live their commitment through poverty, chastity and obedience.
Seminarian	A man who is in formation and is preparing for ordination as a priest.
Seminary	A place where academic, pastoral, human and spiritual formation takes place for seminarians preparing for ordination as priests.
Society of Apostolic Life	Members of Societies of Apostolic Life are men or women who live in common without religious vows. They pursue the particular apostolic purpose of the society and lead a life as brothers or sisters in common, according to a particular manner of life. The members strive for the perfection of charity through the observance of their constitutions. There are also societies in which the members embrace the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience by some bond defined in their constitutions. Societies of apostolic life can be clerical or lay, male or female.
Spiritual Director	Akin to a counsellor, he/she normally works on a one-to-one basis, assisting another on their spiritual journey. In Seminaries and Novitiates, the Spiritual Director has a specific role in formation of candidates.
SPRED (Special Religious Development)	A group which provides friendship, catechesis and opportunities for people with learning disabilities to be fully included in the liturgical life of the parish.
Stop It Now!	A project of The Lucy Faithfull Foundation (a Registered Charity). They offer a wide range of Services to the public and professionals. They help adults and communities throughout Scotland in prevention of child sexual abuse via their Upstream Project. They offer confidential help and advice for those affected by arrest for internet offences; individuals and family members.
Vulnerable adult	In the context of Safeguarding, “vulnerable adult” can be understood to refer to an adult whose ability to protect himself or herself from violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation is significantly impaired due to personal limitation or life situation and due to the exploitation of a power imbalance in a relationship by the person with power, authority or status.