Last Friday, March 20, Dr. Sr. Mary Lembo, a professor at our institute, received an award from the Embassy of France to the Holy See in recognition of her commitment to safeguarding.
Lembo was received by His Excellency Marcel Escure, Chargé d’Affaires of this diplomatic mission in Rome. He conferred upon the Togolese religious sister the title of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, and she was described by the embassy as “a pioneer in raising awareness against abuse, especially concerning women religious in the African context.”
Dr. Mary Lembo belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and is a formator and psychotherapist. In her doctoral dissertation in Psychology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, she addressed a courageous topic, exploring the sexual abuse suffered by women religious in certain African countries. Her thesis (Relations pastorales matures et saines: Maturité affective et sexuelle pour une collaboration entre prêtres et femmes consacrées, témoignage pour le Règne de Dieu) was published as a book and ended up attracting media attention worldwide, which came to regard your research as a reference on the topic. Lembo has been collaborating with our Center for Child Protection (CCP) since 2015, and since 2021 she has served as lecture at our institute.
The title of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur is the highest distinction awarded by the French Republic for outstanding military or civil merit. Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the honor recognizes individuals, including foreigners, who have made significant contributions to France or to its ideals.