ASSESSING THE ETHICAL STATUS OF THE DIOCESE OF KARONGA AT ITS ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS

Abstract

This study aims at making a moral assessment of the Diocese of Karonga, especially at its administrative headquarters called the Curia. It attempts to answer the question “How is the Diocese of Karonga performing in ethics in all its three major arms at the administrative headquarters?” The study comes in the wake of a world-wide call to examine organisation ethics since there is a widespread of cases of misconduct that has permeated all sectors of society and has not spared church institutions. Broadly, the study argues that ethics is a very significant component of every organisation, regardless of whether it is profit making or not, public or private. The study uses mixed methods to conduct a survey among personnel sampled at its administrative headquarters and to access diocesan disciplinary records. For its theoretical framework, this study uses the six-part-framework of conducting a moral audit as developed by Philosopher Muel Kaptein. This is purposely done to establish ethical qualities of the Diocese’s operations at the Curia; hence measure the Diocese’s compliance. The findings indicate areas where the Diocese is ethically strong like existent ethical leadership and management that sets the tone from the top, good values, systems and policies which are mostly clear, consistent, with good sanctionability, supportability and discussability. The findings also indicate areas in which the Diocese is vulnerable due to personnel misconduct such as care for diocesan funds and assets, including its income generating projects. The study makes recommendations on how the Diocese can improve the integrity approach of managing its ethics, including popularization of its already existent policy documents among its personnel.