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	Bishops Fault Local Archdiocese's Sex-Abuse Program By Steve Scott Pioneer Press [Minnesota] March 31, 2006 http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/14227208.htm Months of local controversy over proposed sex-abuse prevention programs in the Roman Catholic Church have left the Twin Cities archdiocese out of compliance with the U.S. bishops' child-protection guidelines, according to a national report released Thursday. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis was one of 22 U.S. dioceses — out of 191 surveyed — not fully meeting requirements of the bishops' guidelines, which require that dioceses offer "safe-environment" programs to all children, parents, educators, staff and clergy to help prevent abuse. Foes complain some programs amount to inappropriate sex education that usurps parents' rights. "The delay at this point is that parents are rightly sensitive about this," said the Rev. Kevin McDonough, the archdiocese's chief of staff. "We think parents not only have the right but the responsibility to be the primary educators of their kids." The archdiocese has trained its clergy, staff and educators and is completing training for all volunteers who may have contact with children in its parishes and schools. But since last fall, some parents have besieged the archdiocese with complaints about a proposed "safe-touch" program, particularly one called Talking About Touching, intended for Catholic grade-schoolers in kindergarten through fourth grade. Different programs are planned for middle school and high school students. Opponents liken Talking About Touching, a nonreligious program, to sex education because of explicit anatomical language and descriptions of inappropriate sexual contact. One third-grade lesson plan, for example, would discuss what to do if a friend's older brother touched a girl's vagina. "This whole safety curriculum — it's technically not sex ed — but our issue is that they're introducing what we believe to be deviant sexual scenarios into the minds of these little children," said John Murphy, spokesman for a Twin Cities parents group called Primary Educators. The group, which held its second public meeting Thursday night in Roseville, is recommending an alternative, Catholic-designed program called Formation in Christian Chastity. Archdiocesan officials respond that its proposed curriculum allows educators to substitute words such as "private parts" for anatomically specific language. They also say parishes may petition Archbishop Harry Flynn to use programs other than those on the recommended list, which was compiled by archdiocesan staff with the advice of area parents and educators, McDonough said. "Is it sex education? It really isn't," said Sister Fran Donnelly, the archdiocese's parish life director. "Does it talk about parts of the body that have a sexual function? Yes. But it's not, 'Here's what you do with that.' It is a safety thing. It's like learning to cross the street." Some parents don't dispute the need for abuse prevention but question where the teaching task falls. "Nothing is more important than teaching children about chastity, good touches and bad touches, but there are certain ways that should be done," said parent Jon Yanta of Chanhassen. "Personally, I don't think my kindergartner or first-grader should learn that from a teacher. I think they should learn that from me as a parent." Other local groups, such as Catholic Parents Online, have been more strident in their opposition. CPO's spiritual adviser, the Rev. Robert Altier, preached a homily last October calling the proposed program worthless and hideous, and alleging its creators had ties to Planned Parenthood. Flynn this month requested that Altier no longer have his homilies published on a Web site compiled by parishioners at the Church of St. Agnes, and that his commentaries no longer be broadcast on Catholic-operated Relevant Radio. The priest complied. The requirement for safe-education programs arose out of the clergy abuse crisis that broke open in 2002 and the bishops' Dallas meeting that soon followed. McDonough said the Twin Cities archdiocese conducted such programs beginning in 1987 but didn't keep records on who participated to the degree required by the bishops' charter. The archdiocese plans to implement the safe-environment training in its schools and parish education programs beginning this fall. "We're piloting these programs in about 10 parishes right now," Donnelly said. "We'll have parents' meetings before school starts this fall." Of the 21 other U.S. dioceses flagged in Thursday's bishops' report, 20 also were found noncompliant on the implementation of safe-environment training. The report said that nationally, 94 percent of "children entrusted to the care of the church" have received the training. The Twin Cities archdiocese was found to be in compliance with all 16 other requirements of the bishops' Dallas charter. McDonough said two new allegations of child sexual abuse were reported to the Twin Cities archdiocese last year. One involved an incident that occurred more than 20 years ago against a priest who was a known abuser and already had left the priesthood. The other allegation, against an active priest, McDonough said, was turned over to civil authorities who determined no abuse or crime had occurred. Steve Scott may be reached at 651-228-5526 or sscott@pioneerpress.com.
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