CMSM 2027 Safeguarding Ministry Conference| Bethany Center in Lutz, FL
Conference: March 15-18
Retreat: March 18-19
One Commitment, Many Contexts: Fostering Cultures of Safety and Spiritual Integrity
Safeguarding ministry in religious life is rooted in a common commitment to protect children and vulnerable adults. Yet this work increasingly unfolds across diverse cultural, national, and ecclesial contexts, requiring safeguarding professionals to understand how diverse perceptions of authority, boundaries, vulnerability, disclosure, and prevention shape safeguarding.
This year’s Safeguarding Ministry Conference will bring together those engaged in safeguarding within communities of male religious to strengthen core competencies in the prevention of child sexual abuse while also exploring the particular challenges of international safeguarding.
Through shared learning, practical formation, and dialogue, participants will consider how common safeguarding principles can be implemented effectively and sensitively in the varied contexts in which religious communities live and minister.
Registration is available through Friday, February 26, 2027.
Lodging & Travel
Lodging
- Registration is available through Friday, February 26, 2027.
- The Bethany Center in Lutz, FL, has limited lodging. All rooms are single occupancy, with a queen bed, linens, and private bath. If you are interested in staying at the retreat center, register early to ensure you get a room.
- There also are several nearby hotels once the Center is full. If you are not staying at Bethany Center, choose “Commuter” when registering.
- The Residence Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway at NorthPointe Village offers a special rate for individuals who are attending Bethany Center events
Airport
- The nearest airport is Tampa International Airport.
- The Bethany Center is a short drive away by rental car or Uber.
Online Workshop
For those who cannot travel to Lutz, we are offering a limited virtual conference:
- The same plenary sessions as the in-person conference
- A reduced number of breakout sessions
- No panel discussion or retreat
Cancellation policy
Cancellation Policy: Refunds will be given for cancellations made by February 26, 2027. Please refer to our Cancellation Policy for more information.
We look forward to seeing you. If you have questions, please contact Greta David, Director of Communications, at gdavid@cmsm.org or (240) 394-1851.
Schedule
Arrivals 12pm to 5pm
12:00 pm: Optional Lunch for Early Arrivals
5:00 pm: Introduction & Welcome
5:15 pm: Evening Prayer
5:30 pm: Reception
6:00 pm: Dinner
8:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Morning Prayer
9:15 am: Welcome & Announcements
9:30 am: CMSM Introduction – Fr. Frank Donio, SAC
9:45 am: Safeguarding Ministry Updates – Dcn. Steven DeMartino
10:15am: Praesidium – Trends and Implementation of Revised Standards
11:00 am: Break
11:15 am: Mass
12:00 pm: Lunch
1:00 pm: Updates from USCCB CYP/Charter – Dcn. Bernie Nojadera
1:45 pm: Survivor Witness
2:30 pm: Break
3:00 pm: International Safeguarding – Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ
4:00 pm: Group Discussion
4:45 pm: Wrap-up
5:00 pm: Evening Prayer
5:30 pm: Reception
6:00 pm: Dinner
The second day of the Workshop will feature diverse skills-building breakout sessions. Topics include:
- Victim/Survivor Assistance Coordinators (core and new frontiers) – Kristin Austin
- Allegation Notification and Investigation for Abuse of Minors and Adult Misconduct – Mike Riley
- Formation and Adult Misconduct – Presenter coming soon!
- Leadership and Safeguarding – Fr. Frank Donio, SAC
- Review Boards – Tom Artz
- Monitoring and Supervision: Engaging Members on Safety Plans – Paul Ashton
- Introducing the Adult Misconduct Resource – Dcn. Steven DeMartino
Each breakout except Leadership and Safeguarding will be offered twice, with two of the breakouts offered as hybrid options. More information on the breakout schedule coming soon!
Schedule:
8:00 am – Breakfast
8:45 am: Morning Prayer
9:00 am – Announcements/Schedule Review
9:15 am – Breakout Session 1
10:30 am – Break
10:45 am – Breakout Session 2
12:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – Breakout Session 3
2:15 pm – Break
2:30 pm – Breakout Session 4
3:45 pm – Wrap-up
4:15 pm – Break
4:45 pm – Evening Prayer & Mass
Speakers
Tom Artz, PhD
Society of the Divine Word, Director of Safe Environment
Thomas Artz served in the provincial office for the Society of the Divine Word Chicago Province for 17 years. He retired in 2020 but continues as the Director of Safe Environment. He has served on six Review Boards, attended 13 CMSM Safeguarding workshops and other training programs. He has made presentations on Review Boards at several previous CMSM workshops. He served on the Praesidium committee that revised the accreditation standards in 2020. He is married and has two teenage sons.
Tom Artz, PhD
Society of the Divine Word
Paul Ashton, Psy.D., D.Min.
Dr. Ashton presents workshops, courses, retreats and training seminars in Catholic dioceses across the country. His professional ministry enfolds adult education and praxis, and has included several teaching, counseling and administrative positions in schools and parishes. He also serves as a consultant to diocesan Bishops and religious community superiors
His work in the area of child sexual abuse prevention and healing includes training facilitators, developing and implementing curricula and retreat programs, counseling, and support group facilitation development through the VIRTUS programs for over 23 years. He is the author of numerous articles and educational support materials, and a book entitled Etched in Hope through ACTA Publications of Chicago.
He works with victims/survivors/thrivers of sexual abuse in the area of recovery and healing. In addition, he works with priests/religious offenders whose ministry is restricted and living a life of prayer and penance.
Paul is the founder of OPEN HEARTS HIV/AIDS Ministry and has supervised support, bereavement and trauma groups for over 38 years. Dr. Ashton holds a B.A. in religious studies, an M.A. in clinical pastoral counseling, a D.Min. in counseling and marriage and family therapy and a Psy.D. in psychology. He lives and has a private practice in Boston and West Palm Beach.
Paul Ashton, PsyD, DMin
Kristin Austin, LCSW-C, CCTP
Society of Jesus, Secretary of Safeguarding
Kristin Austin has worked for the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) since 2008, where she serves as Secretary of Safeguarding after previously serving as both Regional Operations Manager and Victim/Survivor Assistance Coordinator. After attending Saint Joseph’s University for undergrad, she volunteered for a year in Tacoma, WA and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of Maryland. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who previously worked in Employee Assistance (EAP) and provided individual therapy. She enjoys volunteering at her son’s school, though it is much different from her former ministry volunteering at a hospice and in prison. Kristin is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and currently serves as Victim/Survivor Assistance Coordinator for seven different member institutes of CMSM.
Kristin Austin, LCSW-C, CCTP
Society of Jesus
Deacon Steven DeMartino
Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Director of Safeguarding Initiatives
Deacon Steven is the Director of Priest Wellness for the Archdiocese of New York and the Director of Safeguarding initiatives for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. In addition, he is active in Parish ministry, consultation to leadership teams of Religious Institutes, Seminary teaching, and retreat work. Deacon Steven’s training centers on behavioral health and governance leadership.
Deacon Steven DeMartino
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Fr. Frank Donio, SAC, DMin
Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Executive Director
Fr. Frank Donio, SAC, D.Min. is the Executive Director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men and a member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers and Brothers). He is also the Founding Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center. Fr. Frank is former Provincial Rector of the Immaculate Conception Province of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate. Fr. Frank writes and presents on evangelization, co-responsibility and collaboration in ministry and apostolate, pastoral planning, Church leadership and management, and Catholic and Pallottine spirituality. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Adult Spiritual Formation from The Catholic University of America (CUA), as well as a Bachelor of Arts in History (summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa) and a Master of Arts in Church History from CUA. He also holds a Master of Divinity from Washington Theological Union and a Master of Science in Church Management from Villanova University School of Business.
Fr. Frank Donio, SAC, DMin
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Deacon Bernie Nojadera, LCSW
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection, Executive Director
Dcn. Bernie Nojadera has served in the Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection since 2011. Formerly, he served as Director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults with the Diocese of San Jose, California, from 2002-2011. He has a bachelor of arts degree from St. Joseph College, Mountain View, California; a master of social work degree specializing in health and mental health services from San Jose State University; and a master of arts in theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, Menlo Park, California. He has been a member of the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the County of Santa Clara Interfaith Clergy Task Force on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and the County of Santa Clara Task Force on Suicide Prevention. He enjoys offering national/international workshops/training on safe environment/victim accompaniment, safeguarding, HRO (high reliability organization) principles, and topics on leadership and communication. He is married and has two adult children.
Deacon Bernie Nojadera, LCSW
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Michael Riley, MSW, MBA, LPC
MHR Advising
Riley began working with children who had experienced physical and sexual abuse in 1992 as a chaplain in a residential treatment center run by Catholic Charities of Fort Worth. This experience led him to abandon theological studies to first pursue pastoral counseling and ultimately to receive a master’s in social work from Boston University. He practiced social work in the juvenile justice system as well as in psychiatric facilities for several years before returning to Catholic Charities in 2001 as Director of the St. Joseph’s Trust – a public health initiative in conjunction with the Diocese of Fort Worth. In 2007, he began working with Praesidium, the leader in sexual abuse prevention where he conducted training, led investigations, and managed site visits with religious and social service agencies all around the world. He maintains a private therapy practice where he sees children and families impacted by physical and sexual abuse, neglect, violence, poverty, and substance use. He specialize in working with children who have experienced abuse as well as with perpetrators of physical and sexual abuse.
In addition to being a licensed professional counselor and a licensed private investigator, he has a master’s in business administration from the University of Texas Arlington and has taught social work practice and policy at the university level.
Michael Riley, MSW, MBA, LPC
MHR Advising
Christy Schiller, MA
Praesidium, Vice President of Consulting
Plenary – Praesidium Updates
Christy Schiller has over 18 years of industry experience. She applies social science and public health strategies to preventing abuse and its long-term effects. In her role at Praesidium, Christy serves faith-based clients, including the Catholic dioceses and religious orders, The Episcopal Church, the Anglican dioceses, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, The Salvation Army, Presbyterian Church USA, and various denominations through their insurers as well as K-12 public and independent schools and higher education institutions. She has worked with clients in the UK, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. Christy
was instrumental in developing the accreditation program for men’s religious orders and congregations. As a result, she was invited to present this work at the
Vatican. Christy also led content development for Praesidium’s Creating a Safe Environment (C.A.S.E.) training program and has helped develop many of Praesidium’s consultants. She is a former complex litigation research analyst and holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a master’s degree in Medical Anthropology.
Christy Schiller, MA
Praesidium
Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ
Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ
Pontifical Gregorian University
Sponsors
Please contact Chris Pierno for sponsorship opportunities!