November 07, 2005

Indiana archbishop among most proactive on sex abuse issue

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
Tribune-Star

By Stephanie Salter/Tribune-Star

Chancellor Suzanne Magnant Yakimchick serves as the victim assistance coordinator for the Indianapolis Archdiocese. An attorney, she came to the church after two decades with Child Protective Services, including three years during which she was state commissioner.

A six-person review board, created to deal with accusations of sex abuse against anyone in the employ of the archdiocese, includes a psychologist, social worker, former prosecutor, former police chief, priest and a corporate executive.

Archbishop Daniel Buechlein is known even among critics of the hierarchy as one of the most proactive and sensitive U.S. bishops in matters involving child sex abuse.

In a November 2003 public letter, Buechlein said Indianapolis first established a policy “on handling allegations of sexual misconduct by persons working on ministering on behalf of the archdiocese” at least as early as 1982. Buechlein first published the policy in 1994, and it has been revised several times since then, most recently in 2004.

Posted by kshaw at November 7, 2005 05:59 PM