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	Diocese Remains Committed to Protecting Young People The Morning Call [Pennsylvania] September 18, 2006 http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/anotherview/all-kerr9-18 sep18,0,3405919.story?coll=all-newsopinionanotherview-hed In a recent article, The Morning Call raised a question about the level of Diocesan monitoring of priests who have been the subject of abuse complaints. If there is a question, here is the response: In May 2005, the Diocese of Allentown became one of the first dioceses in the country to establish a residential facility for priests removed from active ministry because of abuse complaints. Three priests are now living in that facility in Orwigsburg. Each priest has a safety plan designed especially for him by St. John Vianney Center of Downingtown, Chester County, a treatment center specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of clergy. Each plan includes provisions for monitoring and restrictions on activities. Other dioceses around the country, some from as far away as the Midwest, are using the Diocese of Allentown's plan as a model. The restricted access residential arrangements and the monitoring plan for each resident represents an elevated level of commitment to the community that the diocese believes is uncommon. It is well documented that the overwhelming majority of people who are the subject of abuse complaints are not priests. To the best of our knowledge, there is not a similar program of restricted residential arrangements or monitoring for people who have been the subject of similar allegations and are not priests. Those priests who have been credibly accused and do not live at the Orwigsburg facility have no public ministry. Information on these men has been shared with the local district attorneys. An employee of the diocese follows up with these men regularly. The question about monitoring arose in the wake of the arrest last week of a diocesan priest, Monsignor Stephen Forish, in western Pennsylvania. That priest faces harassment and disorderly conduct charges. Approximately 10 years ago, the same individual was acquitted by a jury in Northampton County of similar charges. Nowhere is there a requirement in the law, nor to the best of our knowledge an established practice, of monitoring a person who has been acquitted of all accusations by 12 men and women after a trial by jury. It is also important to note that the Diocese of Allentown has extensive programs in place to protect children and young people: The Diocese of Allentown's first written policy on the sexual abuse of children by clerics was developed 14 years ago. A more comprehensive policy was established when the Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, D.D., was installed as the Bishop of Allentown in 1998. Numerous revisions were made over the years until the present policy was developed. The policy includes what is popularly known as a "zero tolerance" component. In addition to the abuse policy, the diocese also established a code of conduct for all clergy, lay diocesan and parish employees and all lay diocesan and parish volunteers. Both documents are posted on the diocesan Web site: http://www.allentowndiocese.org/children_youth.html . Criminal background checks and sexual abuse clearances have been conducted on more than 16,000 clergy, lay personnel and volunteers of the diocese and its parishes. Three consecutive annual audits, conducted by former FBI agents now employed by the Gavin Group of Massachusetts, have found the Diocese of Allentown in full compliance with all provisions of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by the Bishops of the United States four years ago. Since the Fall of 2003, almost 12,000 adults and volunteers in the diocese including priests, deacons, seminarians, diocesan employees, school principals and teachers have been trained on how to recognize child abuse if it has happened and more importantly on how to prevent it before it happens. These continuing efforts demonstrate the ongoing, strong commitment of the Diocese of Allentown to the protection of children and young people. Matt Kerr is director of communications for the Diocese of Allentown.
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