DAVENPORT (IA)
Quad-City Times
By Todd Ruger
The Catholic Diocese of Davenport was found to be in full compliance with nationwide sex abuse policies according to an audit conducted last month, Bishop William Franklin said Tuesday.
The auditors, two former FBI agents, reviewed materials and interviewed diocese employees to determine whether it has complied with policies adopted by American bishops in June 2002 as a means of preventing sexual abuse by priests in the wake of a national scandal, he said.
A report by the auditors states that the diocese complied with policies aimed at effectively responding to allegations of abuse of minors as well as policies designed to protect children in the future, he said.
In a report issued last year, of 190 dioceses around the country, Davenport was the only one not to be audited because of ongoing litigation, even though other dioceses across the nation also faced lawsuits. That audit was terminated because the diocese would not allow auditors to interview employees without church attorneys present.
Posted by kshaw at January 19, 2005 08:05 AM