Viewpoint Catholic Church Is Committed to Protecting All Children, Victoria Cessna and Deacon Patrick Hall, MLive, May 24, 2010

Viewpoint: Catholic Church Is Committed to Protecting All Children

By Victoria Cessna and Deacon Patrick Hall
MLive
May 24, 2010

http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/05/viewpoint_catholic_church_is_c.html

In this file photo, from left, St. Augustine fourth-graders Michaela Tuttle, 9, Emile Langbo, 9, Abbey Burdgick, 9 and Alex Mattingly, 9, hold hands for a prayer during the All-Schools Mass held Wednesday at Hackett Catholic Central High School. More than 1,000 students and staff from Hackett, St. Augustine and St. Monica schools participated in the Mass, in observance of National Catholic Schools Week. Students at the three schools have been doing service projects this week, with Hackett seniors scheduled to spend this morning volunteering at social-service agencies.

When a precious child’s innocent life is harmed, our hearts break for them and for their families.

We, as a Catholic community, are deeply saddened and distressed over the ongoing scandal surrounding accounts of clergy sexual abuse being so highly publicized. Sexual abuse of children leaves lifelong scars. It is a crime which steals the peace and joy that each child deserves as a birthright.

While we are not able to erase the past and nothing can be said or done to ever right the wrongs, the Catholic church is committed to keep working tirelessly and passionately to protect all children, and to provide whatever opportunities possible to bring about healing for any and all victims.

While recent headlines and news reports provide details on past cases of clergy sexual abuse, those same reports have omitted the significant changes made within the church, both here in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, and in all Catholic dioceses in the United States to safeguard our precious children.

Since 2002, with the implementation from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” the Diocese of Kalamazoo has done the following to aid in the healing and restoration of victims and their families and to ensure the highest level of safety possible to all children:

• Began and continues a trauma recovery program for all Catholic adult victims and survivors of any childhood trauma and/or neglect. This program, which is offered free of charge to all Catholics regardless of who abused them — clergy, parent, sibling, relative, teacher, coach, neighbor, etc. — is directed by licensed professionals with the goal to help individuals learn new tools to improve their lives and to heal by learning to integrate their feelings, thoughts and behaviors. Since the fall of 2002, approximately 300 people have participated in the program.

• Enacted and follows a “zero tolerance” policy which calls for the immediate removal of a Catholic priest or deacon if an allegation of sexual abuse is established.

• Completed more than 8,000 background checks on all clergy, employees of the church, and all volunteers who have any contact with children.

• Trained these same 8,000 individuals including all clergy, seminarians, all church employees, and all volunteers who work with children in a three-hour workshop “Protecting God’s Children” to raise people’s awareness to recognize child predator behaviors and how to act on that information.

• Required all children in our churches and schools to receive age-appropriate training annually in to how to recognize dangerous situations and abuse and to report them to a trusted adult.

• Screened potential seminarians and deacon candidates through comprehensive psychological screening prior to their admittance to a seminary or formation program.

• Required all visiting clergy, prior to their coming to the Diocese of Kalamazoo, to provide proof that they have never been credibly accused of abuse and are in good standing in their own diocese or religious order community.

• Created a code of ethical standards to help create a safe, appropriate and Christian environment for minors and their relationship with adults involved in church ministry.

The Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo is joined by the 195 dioceses in the United States which also adhere to the guidelines in the charter. Nationally, more than two million adults also have had background checks and undergone training to recognize the behavior of offenders.

It is important to note, as well, that each diocese in the United States is subject to a rigorous audit annually and an on-site audit every three years by a third-party independent company to ensure that it is in compliance with the charter guidelines enacted by the bishops. The Diocese of Kalamazoo was found to be in compliance through its most recent on-site audit in October, 2009.

Let us all be mindful that Jesus said these beautiful words: “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Jesus calls us to hope in a future when all children will be safe from any kind of harm or evil including sexual abuse perpetrated by anyone.

Bishop Bradley, the bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, along with all Catholic bishops in the United States, is absolutely committed to continue dealing directly and firmly with this issue, regardless of vocation, position or relationship of the offender.

We encourage everyone to become more knowledgeable about the warning signs associated with sexual abuse. United and informed, we can work together to eradicate this evil that exists, not only within the Catholic Church, but in all facets of our society.