Historic Settlement Reached; Agreement to Work Together to Protect Children; Help Victims/survivors Heal

By Anne Steffens
Roman Catholic Archdiocese
October 13, 2014

http://www.archspm.org/archspm_news/historic-settlement-reached-agreement-work-together-protect-children-help-victimssurvivors-heal/

[Letter from Doe 1 to Vicar General Charles Lachowitzer]

Today, attorney Jeff Anderson and officials from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced a settlement of the first case filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act and a history-making agreement to work together to protect children and help clergy sexual abuse victims/survivors heal. A court meeting in the Doe 1 case this morning precipitated the afternoon press conference. Please see the news release from Jeff Anderson and Associates and the statement from Archbishop John Nienstedt.

As part of global settlement negotiations, the archdiocese committed to abiding by a set of 17 child protection protocols that were developed and approved by both archdiocesan leadership and by Jeff Anderson and Associates. The protocols form the template to be expanded upon in archdiocesan safe environment policies and codes of conduct. Some existing archdiocesan child protection policies are more extensive than the protocols. All existing policies that are more extensive will remain in place.