The Child Safeguarding Institute (CSI)

of Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation, Inc.

Safeguarding Children: Our Call and Our Vocation

This two-part talk by Dr. Gabby Dy-Liacco, PhD and Dr. Carmen La Vina, PhD will
introduce participants to the intimate relationship between the safeguarding of minors
and vulnerable adults and the religious vocation of configuration to Christ. The talk
will include an overview of abuses in the Church and its historical reactions spanning
two thousand years, the definition and scope of safeguarding, Pope Francis’ vision of
the safeguarding mission within the universal and local churches, the special role of
the religious in this mission, and implications for religious congregations and
missions, especially for lifelong formation.
830 am : Registration
900 am : Opening prayer, Welcome remarks
915 am : First talk: Dr. Gabby Dy-Liacco
10 am : Merienda
1030 am : Second talk: Dr. Carmen La Vina
1115 am : Open forum
12 noon : End
Date: Friday, August 17, 2018
Place: Lucas Renewal Center, Loyola House of Studies
Fee: PHP 200 (to cover merienda and venue costs)
Registration: Please call Mary at 0928-60-40 or 0916-556-9173

Dr. Gabriel S. Dy-Liacco holds a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University
Maryland and is a licensed professional counselor. He began his clinical mental health
work in 1999. Since 2006, beginning with the St. Luke Institute in Maryland, USA and
continuing in 2010 with Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation, Dr. Dy-Liacco’s
work has focused almost exclusively on treating and accompanying clergy and religious
who perpetrated sexual abuse and adults who were childhood victims of abuse by clergy
and other persons in ministry.
On December 17, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Dr. Dy-Liacco to the Pontifical Commission for the
Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults and in February 2018 reconfirmed this appointment for another
three years. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults is tasked with
advising the Holy Father on safeguarding matters within the Church and helping him promote responsibility
for safeguarding among the particular churches. Dr. Dy-Liacco is the Institute Manager of the newly created
Child Safeguarding Institute of Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation.

Dr. Carmen Bonto-La Viña holds a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola
University Maryland. She has been a pastoral psychotherapist for the lay, clergy, and
religious on mental health issues, including sexual abuse and misconduct, at Emmaus
Center since 2007. She is also the Associate Manager for Education Programs of the Child
Safeguarding Institute of Emmaus Center. As well, Dr. La Viña is a consultant to the
Jesuit Provincial on Professional Standards and an associate member of the CBCP-
Commission on Clergy.
Her training includes a Diploma in Safeguarding of Minors, Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome, 2017) and
clinical training (USA, 2000-2005) at Ephesians Ministries, a pastoral counseling center, Providence Hospital,
for inpatient substance abuse treatment, and Anchor Mental health, for outpatient treatment of the
chronically mentally ill. Her first career in social development (student organizing, women’s issues, and rural
development) enhances her pastoral counseling work. Her dissertation on disaster mental health studied
post-traumatic growth of the 2006 Typhoon Reming survivors.