BALTIMORE (MD)
Archdiocese of Baltimore MD
April 6, 2023
What is the Response of the Archdiocese to the Attorney General’s Redacted Report?
The Archdiocese profoundly apologizes for the suffering of victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of any and all church personnel. Archbishop Lori’s statement on the release of the redacted Report and his pastoral letter on child sexual abuse offer his own apology, along with hopes for healing and a commitment to continue effective actions that will address the scourge of child sexual abuse. We encourage you to read those documents carefully and fully and to join the Archdiocese in prayer for those harmed by child sexual abuse and in a renewed commitment to child protection.
Does the Church agree with the findings in the Attorney General’s Report?
The Attorney General wrote and issued its report; it is a not a report of the Archdiocese. However, the Archdiocese does appreciate some aspects of the report. We believe, as we did with our own initial publication of a list of accused priests and brothers in 2002, that acknowledging the painful reality of child sexual abuse in the Church is a significant source of support for victims and a moment of transparency that helps in the effort to protect children. We also appreciate the Attorney General’s recognition of some efforts made by the Church, but the Report does not acknowledge the full scope of the Archdiocese’s efforts to protect children in recent decades. The Attorney General’s Report also includes certain inaccuracies and does not give a clear impression that the number of incidents of child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese has fallen dramatically since its peak in the late 1970s.
The Church of today and its efforts in recent decades to aggressively screen its personnel, root out and publicize abusers, and respond pastorally to victims, is not fully represented in the Report. The Archdiocese reports all allegations to law enforcement; offers counseling assistance and other pastoral support to victims; publicizes allegations through vehicles other than our website list of priests and brothers; and presents allegations to the Independent Review Board for advice and accountability.
Does the Archdiocese agree with the Circuit Court’s decision to redact some names in the Attorney General’s Report?
The Circuit Court and the Attorney General have determined that the identity of some individuals should be redacted at this time, pending their notification. These individuals will have the right to respond before the Circuit Court decides whether it is appropriate to redact their names on a permanent basis.
The Report includes redactions of the names of 10 accused abusers. Their names were not redacted at the request of the Archdiocese. The Attorney General requested that their names be redacted, and the court ordered it. None of the 10 individuals is in ministry today in the Archdiocese.
Why does the Attorney General’s Report name people whom the Archdiocese has not publicly identified?
The Archdiocese’s public list of accused child abusers, published voluntarily in 2002, now includes 152 priests and religious brothers. While the Archdiocese reports all allegations of child abuse to law enforcement, including the Office of the Attorney General, the list contains only priests and religious brothers and only those who have served in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The Archdiocese’s list does not include the names of priests or brothers who died before a single allegation of child abuse was received unless a third party could corroborate the allegation or unless a second allegation was made against the same deceased cleric. Names are also added to the list if they have been published elsewhere in connection with an allegation of child sexual abuse. The Archdiocese will continue to update its list.
More specifically, who are the 39 people named as abusers in the Attorney General’s Report but not posted on the Archdiocese’s website?
There are 39 individuals named in the Attorney General’s Report as abusers who are not on the list of accused priests and brothers maintained by the Archdiocese of Baltimore at the time the Report was released. None of the 39 people named is serving in ministry in the Archdiocese, and none has been for many years. At least 33 of the 39 are deceased. The overwhelming majority of the individuals are not included for one of three reasons: 1) the alleged perpetrator is neither a priest nor religious brother (the Archdiocese’s list does not include lay people, religious sisters or deacons); 2) the alleged perpetrator never had an assignment in ministry in the Archdiocese; or 3) the alleged perpetrator was first accused of abuse after death and is the subject of only a single, uncorroborated allegation.
Why aren’t lay people or teachers on your published list of abusers?
The Archdiocese, in consultation with the Independent Review Board, designed the published list of abusers to provide transparency and accountability into clergy sexual abuse. The website list is not the only, and often not the most effective, vehicle used by the Archdiocese to disseminate information regarding allegations of child sexual abuse. Allegations against lay people, teachers, and clergy found to have abused children or youth in the Archdiocese are publicized through a number of communication methods, including parish meetings, bulletin notices, The Catholic Review, news releases, media interviews, and social media. The Archdiocese reports allegations of abuse to law enforcement and has zero tolerance for abuse whether it is committed by members of the clergy or lay people, including teachers.
Is the Church still covering up abuse?
No. For decades, the Archdiocese has been firmly committed to holding suspected abusers accountable. Then-Attorney General Brian Frosh confirmed in a recent interview with WYPR that since at least 2002, the Archdiocese reports child abuse when it is reported to them and there is no evidence on any ongoing cover-up. The Archdiocese’s commitment includes reporting all allegations of child abuse to law enforcement without exception and adopting and adhering to zero-tolerance policies and practices. Credible allegations of abuse are communicated through the media, parish meetings and other means to publicize the information.
Does the Archdiocese agree with the recommendation made to the Archdiocese by the Attorney General in the Report?
After an extensive, four-year review, the Office of the Attorney General only made one recommendation to the Archdiocese, which is to add laity to the Archdiocese’s published list of accused priests and brothers. The purpose of the list has been to shine a light on clergy sexual abuse and adding members of the laity to the list could take away from the power of transparency related to abusive priests and brothers, but the recommendation will be considered by the Archdiocese in consultation with its Independent Review Board.
Outside of this single recommendation, the Attorney General’s Report contains no suggestions for ways the Archdiocese could further improve how we screen or train personnel, report and investigate allegations, or respond pastorally to victims. The Office of the Attorney General recognizes that the implementation 20 years ago of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People “significantly improve[d] the internal handling of reported child sex abuse.”
Is anyone credibly accused of abuse in the Attorney General’s Report currently employed by the Archdiocese of Baltimore?
No. Anyone, whether a member of the clergy or a lay person, who has been credibly accused of abuse has been removed from ministry and employment by the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is subject to criminal prosecution whenever possible at the discretion of law enforcement.
Are the failures cited in the Attorney General’s Report still occurring today?
The past failures to appropriately respond to allegations of abuse do not reflect the Church’s current and decades-long strong pastoral response and handling of allegations. Information on how the Archdiocese has been responding for the last three decades to stop the abuse of our most vulnerable can be found at https://www.archbalt.org/promise-protect-promote-healing/
Has the Archdiocese publicly disclosed the names of priests and brothers who have been accused of child sexual abuse?
Yes, in 2002, the Archdiocese of Baltimore became one of the first dioceses in the United States and the world to voluntarily publicly disclose the names of clergy who had been accused of abuse, dating back to the 1930s. It did so in a letter mailed to all registered households and publication in the diocesan newspaper and website. Since 2002, the Archdiocese has added names to the list as new information became available. The list is published on the Archdiocese’s website: List of Priests and Brothers Accused of Child Sexual Abuse – Archdiocese of Baltimore (archbalt.org)
Why did the Attorney General investigate and compile this report?
Following a similar investigation of the Catholic Church by the Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2018, the Maryland Office of the Attorney General began an investigation into child sexual abuse and the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s response to allegations of child sexual abuse over its history.
How did the Archdiocese cooperate with the investigation?
During the four-year investigation, the Archdiocese cooperated fully, including by providing hundreds of thousands of pages of requested documents and responding to numerous requests for information in conversations with investigators.
What measures are in place to ensure those serving in the Church are safe for ministry?
The Archdiocese has a zero-tolerance policy in place for anyone credibly accused of abuse, meaning he/she is immediately and permanently barred from all ministry. In addition, all employees, volunteers and youth are trained to detect and report suspected abuse, and all employees and volunteers undergo mandatory background checks and safe environment training. An Independent Review Board, which includes non-Catholic lay professionals, reviews the Church’s handling of all allegations of abuse, and audits are conducted to ensure compliance with all laws and policies governing the protection of children.
What steps does the Archdiocese take when someone is accused of abuse?
Any allegation of child abuse received by the Archdiocese is reported to law enforcement, and the alleged perpetrator is temporarily removed from ministry. The Archdiocese cooperates fully with law enforcement, taking care not to interfere with any investigation by law enforcement and conducting its own investigation of the allegation if law enforcement does not pursue criminal charges. Outreach is also extended to the victim. Once a determination of credibility has been made, the perpetrator’s removal is made permanent. Information is shared with the public through numerous methods of communication.
How does the Church notify the public when a minister of the Church, either clergy or laity, has been accused of abusing a child?
The Archdiocese utilizes a number of methods to inform the public about a credible allegation of abuse, including by posting the individual’s name on its list of accused clergy on the Archdiocesan website, notices in The Catholic Review, parish bulletins, direct emails, news media and in-person meetings.
If I was abused and want to receive assistance from the Archdiocese, what do I do?
If you or anyone you know has information concerning child abuse by a priest, employee or volunteer of the Archdiocese, you are urged to contact law enforcement and the Archdiocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection at 410-547-5348.