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	Moving Forward in Faith: Renewing Our Commitment to Victim Assistance, Child Protection, and Priestly Integrity Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia April 15, 2011 http://archphila.org/grandjury2011/bulletin/BulletinInsertNo1.pd1f [full story] Introduction: This is the first in a series of periodic bulletin inserts developed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to provide information to parishioners. Each bulletin insert will focus on action steps the Archdiocese has taken to assist victims, advance the protection of children, and ensure the integrity of the Priesthood. Information About Priests Placed on Administrative Leave: • Cardinal Rigali has placed a number of priests on administrative leave over the last several weeks following the recommendations of Mrs. Gina Maisto Smith, a former Child Abuse prosecutor hired to assist the Archdiocese in responding to the Grand Jury Report. These administrative leaves are interim measures pending a fuller investigation of each case. They are neither judgments nor final determinations. • In order to reach her recommendations, Mrs. Smith conducted an initial administrative review of files through the lens of the current Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Act, the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s responsibility to protect children. • The complaints in these cases range from potential boundary issues as outlined in the Archdiocesan Standards of Ministerial Behavior (http://bit.ly/AOPministerialstandards) to allegations of sexual abuse. As such, it would be unfair to paint all priests currently on administrative leave with the same broad brush. • While on administrative leave priests do not reside in a parish nor participate in any parish or school activities and they may not exercise their priestly ministry publicly (say Mass or administer the Sacraments). They may wear clerical attire.
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