2004 Audit Executive Summary:
Diocese of Boise
Bishop Michael Patrick Driscoll
Previous Audit Conducted
8/11 – 15/2003
The information found herein represents conditions as they were found
to exist during the week of October 4 – 8, 2004.
The diocese has a policy on the
prevention of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. The diocese provides
outreach designed to offer pastoral care to victims/survivors and their
families. The bishop or his representative has met with, or offered to
meet with all victims/survivors who have reported allegations of abuse
since the last compliance audit. The bishop or his delegate has directed
outreach to all faith communities in which the sexual abuse occurred. The
diocese has a mechanism in place to respond promptly to any allegation
where there is reason to believe that sexual abuse of a minor occurred.
The principal diocesan victim assistance coordinator, Bobbi K.
Dominick, has the requisite education and background that makes her well
qualified for the position. A second qualified assistance coordinator has
recently been appointed. In 2002, the diocese established a review board
that consists of nine members. Members include a pediatrician and advocate
for children, a former justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, a professional
social worker who was the former head of the Idaho Department of Health
and Welfare, a mental health counselor, a communications professional, a
personnel specialist, a priest who is a psychologist with experience in
dealing with sexual abuse of minors and two additional priests who are
canon lawyers. The review board serves as a confidential consultative body
to the bishop.
The procedures for making a complaint of abuse are readily available in
printed form, and are the subject of periodic public announcements. The
diocese has not entered into any confidentiality agreements during the
audit period.
There were no allegations of sexual abuse of a minor to
report to public authorities since the last compliance audit. The diocese
complies with all applicable civil laws with respect to the reporting of
allegations of sexual abuse of minors to civil authorities. The diocese
has established effective liaison with civil authorities, ensuring that an
open dialogue regarding sexual abuse allegations will occur. The diocese
cooperates with public authorities about reporting in cases when the
person is no longer a minor. In all instances, the diocese advises
victims/survivors of their right to report allegations of abuse by a
member of the clergy to civil authorities.
When an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a priest or deacon is
received, a preliminary investigation, in harmony with canon law, is
initiated. If a preliminary investigation so indicates, the diocese
notifies the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and applies the
precautionary measures mentioned in CIC, canon 1722, or CCEO, canon 1473.
When accusations against a priest or a deacon are proven to be unfounded,
the diocese takes steps to restore the good name of the priest or deacon.
When sexual abuse of a minor by a priest or a deacon is admitted or
established after an appropriate process in accord with canon law, the
diocesan policies provide that the offending priest or deacon be
permanently removed from ministry. The diocese offers professional
assistance to offending priests or deacons.
In every case involving canonical penalties, the processes provided for
in canon law are observed. Accused clergy are encouraged to retain the
assistance of civil and canonical counsel. When necessary, the diocese
supplies canonical counsel to a priest or deacon.
If the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state has not been
applied, the diocese will direct the offender to lead a life of prayer and
penance. The diocese does not allow the offender to celebrate Mass
publicly, to administer the sacraments, or to present himself publicly as
a priest.
The diocese has established clear and well-publicized standards of
ministerial behavior for priests and deacons. A communications policy is
in effect which reflects the bishop's pledge to be open and transparent on
issues regarding the sexual abuse of children. The diocese will assist and
support all parish communities directly affected by ministerial misconduct
involving minors.
The diocese has fully implemented a "safe environment"
education program. The educational program for children is Personal
Safety Awareness; for teens Creating Safe and Sacred Places;
and for parents, Keeping Kids Safe and Personal Safety Awareness.
The program for all clergy, educators, diocesan employees and volunteers
is called Creating a Safe Environment and is presented at workshop
sessions. The diocese has clear and well-publicized standards of conduct
for persons in positions of trust with regard to sexual abuse. The diocese
is in the process of conducting background evaluations on all diocesan and
parish personnel who have regular contact with minors, using appropriate
law enforcement resources where permissible. A Required Action was issued.
The diocese employs adequate screening and evaluative techniques in
deciding the fitness of candidates for ordination.
The diocese has not transferred any priest or deacon who has had a
credible allegation of sexual abuse made against him to another
ministerial assignment since the last audit. The diocese has not
transferred any priest or deacon who has had a credible allegation of
sexual abuse made against him to another diocese for residence since the
last audit.
The bishop or his designee has coordinated with major superiors of men
with a presence in the diocese concerning addressing the issue of
allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. The diocese is open to
participation in research with other institutions in the area of sexual
abuse but has not had the opportunity to do so. The diocese has developed
a systematic ongoing formation program in keeping with the Basic Plan
for the Ongoing Formation of Priests.
At the conclusion of this compliance audit,
the diocese was found to be compliant with all articles of the Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People with the exception of
Article 13. The following Required Action was issued:
REQUIRED ACTION #1 Article 13: Background Investigations
Provide a schedule as to when the remaining employees and volunteers
who have not completed background investigations will complete them.
Compliance with the Charter as of December 31, 2004
As of December 31, 2004, the Diocese of Boise had satisfactorily
completed the required action. The Diocese is found to be compliant with
all articles of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young
People.
Diocese of Boise
Audit Conducted 10/4 – 8, 2004
Previous
Audit Conducted 8/11 –14, 2003
The following is submitted as reflective of this diocese’s/eparchy’s
advancement in the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of
Children and Young People. Each example exceeds what is required by
the Charter.
(Describe the activity providing as much detail as possible to include
the nature of the situation, what the diocese/eparchy has done, and how it
has been received by the intended audience. The action must have occurred
between the first day of the last compliance audit to the first day of the
current compliance audit, and will be verified by the auditors. Please
limit your response to three sentences for each action.)
Action Taken: Article 12 of the Charter requires
“education and training” on safe environment for a number of groups,
including parents. The Diocese of Boise has taken a proactive approach to
prevention education, and has gone beyond the Charter by providing
education about child sexual abuse and prevention techniques, not just to
parents, but also to every registered parishioner in the Diocese of Boise.
A series of three mailings was prepared in the spring of 2004, called
“Keeping Kids Safe,” a series which seeks to educat e parishioners on the
myths about sexual abuse, the signs and symptoms of abuse, how to report
abuse, and how to respond to a child who has been abused. These mailings
were accompanied by a letter from the Bishop expressing his commitment to
prevention education. We believe that these mailings reached at least
20,000 Catholic households in the state of Idaho. In addition, several
other dioceses have requested a copy of the materials we prepared so that
they could engage in a similar educational effort in their diocese. At
least one of these dioceses has decided to post the information on their
website, and we have done the same. We have received many positive
comments from the recipients of this education.
Action Taken: The Diocese of Boise has used the available
resources of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to educate
employees, volunteers and parishioners on the scope of the reporting laws
in Idaho. A representative of DHW, Children and Family Services (Kurt
Lyles), attended Train the Trainer programs in the Fall of 2004 to explain
DHW’s system of child protection, and the Diocese has made extensive use
of a brochure produced by DHW (though its Children at Risk Task Force)
called “Care Enough to Call” (both English and Spanish). The Diocese has
distributed at least 20,000 of these brochures (English and Spanish) at
“Creating a Safe Environment” workshops and in the “Keeping Kids Safe”
mailings noted above, as a way to partner with DHW in providing
community-based education on child abuse reporting laws.
Action Taken: The Diocese of Boise has taken the bare
requirement of training in Article 12 of the Charter and gone
beyond the basic requirements by producing two very powerful videotapes
which are used in workshops for employees of the Diocese. These
videotapes, featuring two experts on the issue of child sexual abuse,
provide more education on the issue of child sexual abuse than that
provided by the public school systems in our state. These videos have been
very well received by our employees, in particular those that work
directly with children. At least one other diocese has purchased copies of
these videotapes for use in their safe environment program.
Action Taken: While the Charter focuses on prevention
education for ministers who work with children and educators, the Diocese
of Boise has required that ALL employees of the Diocese receive four hours
of training, including the two videos noted above, on the issue of child
sexual abuse, reporting and prevention. This includes employees who do not
have regular contact with children, including parish and diocesan office
personnel. The Diocese is committed to this expansion of its education
efforts as a way to lead the community in educating the faithful on child
abuse prevention. The program has been very well received.
Action Taken: While Article 6 requires standards of behavior for
those who have regular contact with children, the Diocese of Boise has
developed standards of conduct for interactions with minors that apply to
all church personnel, and has required that every person who is on the
payroll acknowledge receipt of these policies, including the standards of
conduct, regardless of their contact with children in their position. This
is another way to educate the faithful on appropriate behavior with
children, and prevention of abuse.
Action Taken: While Article 13 requires a criminal background
check of church personnel who have regular contact with minors, the
Diocese of Boise has required that ALL persons employed by the church,
including part time personnel and those with no regular contact with
children, undergo a criminal background check.
Action Taken: The Diocese of Boise covers 86,000 square miles,
and thus providing safe environment education to every volunteer who has
regular contact with child ren is a challenge. To meet this challenge, the
Diocese has established a “Train the Trainer” program, where volunteer
trainers from each of the six deaneries spend two days in an intensive
session designed to provide them with the skills to be able to deliver
Safe Environment training for volunteers in their deaneries and parish and
school communities. This program has been very well received by the
trainers, and many leave the training program energized, as advocates for
abuse prevention training in their communities.
Action Taken: The Diocese of Boise has taken a proactive
approach to preparation of men for ordination to the priesthood, by
detailed examination of their suitability, and by providing an opportunity
to discern in the Bishop Treinen House of Formation and Discernment. Men
live in the house, which is adjacent to the Cathedral, and discern their
call to the priesthood. While there, they participate in parish activities
and community service projects. Before an individual is accepted as a
seminarian, the vocations director interviews their families and friends,
and require six letters of recommendations, at least two from priests, one
from a pastor, one from an employer, one from the school, and others from
friends. This includes the formation director traveling to the prospective
student’s home country if they are foreign born. The seminarians are also
required to undergo at least seventeen different psychological tests,
administered by a permanent deacon who is also a psychologist. The diocese
also retains the services of a Spanish speaking psychologist to administer
tests to those who speak Spanish. There is also a program of a pastoral
year, and summer assignments, that allows a seminarian to adequately
assess his call to the priesthood, and allow the diocese to adequately
assess the suitability of the individual for the priesthood.