By Archbishop Robert J. Carlson
St. Louis Review
May 18, 2011
http://stlouisreview.com/article/2011-05-18/archbishop-carlson
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| Archbishop Robert J. Carlson |
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Child abuse is an unspeakable evil that we must address forthrightly in order to protect our children. Sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and deacons, or by any Church leader, is a grave offense against the dignity of young persons. It is contrary to the mission of the Church and a violation of the sacred trust held by all ordained ministers and other Church personnel who have been commissioned to carry on the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In 2002, when we bishops of the United States adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, two studies were commissioned. The first study, The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States 1950-2002, was completed in 2004. The second study, The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States 1950-2002, is being released this week. Both studies were conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, an independent, internationally respected research institution.
We bishops are convinced that these two studies were necessary in order for us to understand the nature and scope of the problem we were dealing with. We also believe that it is important for us to understand, as completely and accurately as we are able, the causes and context of this problem in order to respond appropriately for the safety and protection of our children and young people.
As a result of these studies, we have learned that no single cause of sexual abuse exists. Most cases of abuse occurred between 1965 and 1985 — a time of enormous social upheaval in the Church and in American society as a whole. The John Jay College study report on "causes and context" notes that, during this 20-year period, Church leaders failed to prevent the abuse of minors for a variety of reasons. These include the lack of reporting, the lack of understanding of the harm of sexual abuse to a minor, the lack of realistic prospects about abusers being "cured," and the lack of public explanation of how Church leaders dealt with reports of abuse.
We have learned a lot in the past decade, but we have much more to learn and much to do to make sure that our children and youth are protected from the grave harm of sexual abuse whenever and wherever it occurs.
Both studies conclude that the best way to protect young people from abuse is to create safe environments where appropriate boundaries between adults and children are maintained. Sexual abuse of minors is a problem against which all of us must guard. It is not just a Church problem, although the Church has a special responsibility to ensure the safety and protection of minors entrusted to our care. Sexual abuse of minors is a problem that affects all segments of society; it requires special vigilance by parents, teachers, coaches, youth workers and all Church personnel — whether clergy, religious or lay people.
The studies conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice conclude that a very small percentage of our clergy and other Church personnel have been guilty of abusing children. The vast majority of priests and deacons serving in the United States have never abused a child. We are grateful for the dedicated service and fidelity of 96 percent of our priests. At the same time, we abhor the actions of the 4 percent who violated their sacred trust, and we deeply regret the harm they have done to our children, their families and our Church.
On behalf of all the clergy, religious and faithful people of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, I apologize to anyone who has been abused by a priest, deacon, religious, employee or volunteer associated with one of our parishes, schools, agencies or institutions in this archdiocese. No words of mine can ever heal wounds caused by abuse, but I do want to assure you of our unshakeable commitment to protect our children and to ensure that Church institutions and facilities are safe environments for minors.
In the Archdiocese of St. Louis we are blessed with two agencies that work tirelessly to ensure the safety and protection of our children. The Office of Child and Youth Protection is responsible for local implementation of the charter that we bishops adopted in 2002 and revised in 2005 for all dioceses in the United States. This office handles all reports of abuse and provides staff support for our Review Board and Child Safety Committee.
The second archdiocesan agency working to ensure the protection of our children and youth is the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Office. The dedicated staff of this agency are entrusted with the responsibility to educate, train and support the thousands of Church personnel — including employees, volunteers, priests, deacons, religious working in the parishes, schools, and agencies of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Safe Environment Program policies must be observed by all archdiocesan personnel. All are required to learn and comply with the procedures that have been developed to create and maintain a safe environment for children.
The Archdiocesan Safe Environment Office and the Office of Child and Youth Protection are totally committed to the prevention of sexual abuse of minors in the Church, to the promotion of safety for children and young people, and to the ongoing care of those who have suffered sexual abuse. Since 2002, more than 100,000 adults who come into contact with youth in our parishes, schools and institutions have participated in the program entitled Protecting God's Children. This program equips those who serve the Church to recognize questionable behavior, to implement best practices for the safety of our children and youth and to take the necessary steps to address even the suspicion that someone has acted inappropriately in dealing with a minor. As a result of the hard work and dedicated service of these two very important archdiocesan agencies, the children in our care are safe, and reports of abuse (whether recent or in the past) are handled with professionalism and appropriate pastoral sensitivity.
As Archbishop of St. Louis, I want to speak with all who have been victims of sexual abuse by Church personnel and to offer whatever help I can to heal the deep wounds inflicted by the sexual abuse of minors — especially by clergy or other Church personnel. I invite anyone who may have been abused by a Church worker, or who wants to report an incidence of abuse, to call Deacon Phil Hengen at (314) 792-7704. Our staff will receive your call respectfully and confidentially.
I encourage every member of our archdiocesan family, and all people of good will, to help us do everything in our power to protect our young Church from the evil of sexual abuse wherever and whenever it is threatened. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord and our mother, intercede for us as we seek to protect our children — now and always.
Amen.
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