Statement from the Archdiocese: Detailed Accounting of Accounts 1-515 and 1-516

Roman Catholic Archdiocese
February 13, 2014

http://www.archspm.org/news-events/news-detail.php?intResourceID=11844

[Click here to read the full audited annual report]

Certain financial accounts, numbered 1-515 and 1-516, have elicited interest in recent months. The total 1-515 and 1-516 expenses for the past 10 years is $8,813,492 or 2 percent of Chancery Corporation revenue during the same period. This does not include payments by our insurance carrier directly for related legal services and victim settlements. (See related account 1-515 and 1-516 expense chart.)

Account 1-515 provides for counseling and other victim support services, as well as victim settlements, for victims of sexual abuse by clergy when the victim was a minor. It also provides for living expenses for a few men no longer in ministry who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

In FY 2013, 1-515 expense was $224,739. In 2012, it was $176,086. During the past 10 years, expenses in 1-515 totaled $6,200,066. Of that total, $2,332,859 was for victim settlements, $1,777,679 went to victim support, $566,318 went to legal services, and $1,523,210 went to priest living expenses.

Account 1-516 covers expenses related to a broad range of issues, for example: alcohol addiction; gambling addiction; and sexual conduct with an adult. It provides for living expenses for men who are dealing with addictive and behavioral issues. Some of these men have been removed permanently from public ministry. Account 1-516 also provides for counseling and other victim support services, as well as victim settlements, for victims of clergy misconduct other than sexual abuse of a minor.

In FY 2013, 1-516 expense was $307,021. In 2012, it was $229,975. During the past 10 years, expenses in 1-516 totaled $2,613,426. Of that, $176,500 went to victim settlements, $518,742 went to victim support, $209,213 went to legal services, and $1,708,970 went to priest living expenses.

Of the $8,813,492 total in expenses for accounts 1-515 and 1-516 during the past decade, $2,509,359 went to fund settlements for victims and $2,296,421 went to pay for counseling and other support services for victims. This is 54 percent of the total amount of expenses for accounts 1-515 and 1-516.

Since the Office of Advocacy and Victim Assistance was established in 1992, it has provided referrals and paid for many victims of clergy abuse and other ministry-related misconduct to receive psychological counseling, spiritual direction, and other services to help victims heal.

A total of $3,232,180 in 1-515 and 1-516 expenses went to room and board and other living expenses and treatment services for men accused of sexual abuse or other misconduct. The cost of living expenses of men in ministry is ordinarily covered by the parish or other organization where he is serving. When a man is removed from ministry, the archdiocese assumes that expense. The archdiocese is required under Church (canon) law to care for such men. Christian compassion also calls us to care for these men. Most important, we are called to care for victims of sexual abuse and other Church ministry-related misconduct.

Accounts 1-515 and 1-516 are not secret and have been included in the consolidated income statements of the archdiocese publicly reported on an annual basis. However, chancery employee access to the details of these accounts is handled with discretion for a number of reasons including the protection of victims who are receiving support for counseling and other services. Certain details about other spending in those accounts are confidential, as is the case with personnel matters not requiring disclosure — just like the personnel files of any organization. Outside independent auditors have always had access to line items rolling up into accounts 1-515 and 1-516, just as they had access to line item detail for all other archdiocesan accounts.