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A Call to Repentance and Reform
Statement from Bishop Saltarelli
on sexual abuse of children by clergy
Published in The Dialog on March 7, 2002
The recent national attention given to cases of sexual abuse of children by clergy has made this a particularly painful time for the victims of sexual abuse, their parents and their families.
We can only imagine the pain and suffering that victims of child abuse endure, even years after the horror of an assault. Now, the steady coverage of this issue in newspapers and on television inevitably recalls for them the devastation of their own experiences still again. My heart goes out to them, and I continue to pray for them.
The situation is also painful and confusing in a different way to faithful Catholic people who love the church and who strive to live our faith vibrantly through holy lives of witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And it is painful for the overwhelming majority of our priests who strive valiantly to serve God's people in their parishes and shepherd them from any harm.
In the midst of such pain, how should Roman Catholics in the United States -- lay and clergy alike -- respond to the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse of minors? In his January 2001 "Letter on the New Millennium," Pope John Paul II called the church to repentance for the sins of Catholics throughout history so as to be receptive to the purifying flame of the Holy Spirit in reforming the church in the present. Repentance will continue to be the foundation of renewed holiness and reform in our church. It is a process and a grace that is present throughout the church's history.
The instruction of the Holy Father suggests at least two steps we can take to address proactively and positively the tragic cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors:
First, we acknowledge the sins and misjudgments of our past.
On behalf of the church, I apologize to all who have been affected by the grave moral evil and crime of sexual abuse of minors whether by a priest or by others employed in ministry in the Catholic Church. I cannot begin to express the depth of my heartfelt prayers and concern. As Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed, "We understand that your children are your most precious gift. They are our children as well. ..." We have consistently held out help and support by means of our counseling services to any and all victims and their families and will continue to do so.
I also apologize for misjudgments made in the past in the church, including in our diocese, regarding the placement of clergy who have committed abuse into other assignments. As we now know, in many instances such placements only served to create new victims and compound the damage.
Second, we apply vigilance and accept responsibility in the present.
Since 1985 we have had a policy in place in our diocese for handling allegations of abuse by any diocesan employee. Through ongoing consultation with both canon and civil lawyers, our policy has been revised repeatedly so that our responses to these situations could become more effective and reflect the best current understanding of these issues.
Our policy is faithful to five key principles articulated by the American bishops:
1. Respond promptly to all allegations of abuse where there is reasonable belief that abuse has occurred.
2. If such an allegation is supported by sufficient evidence, relieve the alleged offender promptly of his ministerial duties and refer him for appropriate medical evaluation and intervention.
3. Comply with the obligations of civil law as regards reporting of the incident and cooperating with the investigation.
4. Reach out to the victims and their families and communicate sincere commitment to their spiritual and emotional well being.
5. Within the confines of respect and privacy of the individuals involved, deal as openly as possible with members of the community.
Our clergy conferences for priests consistently address the importance of cultivating spiritual, psychological, emotional and relational well being and a healthy approach to God's gift of our human sexuality. A priest's celibate commitment -- when founded on integrity and emotional and spiritual balance -- remains a beautiful gift to the church. Also, in regard to our screening and ongoing formation of seminarians, our procedures are thorough and up-to-date. The process involves extensive interviews, background checks and psychological evaluations.
I believe that it is only in openly confronting our sins, mistakes, and misjudgments of the past, and in acknowledging the agonies of the victims, that we can move toward the healing that is so desperately needed. I ask that at this year's Good Friday liturgies special prayers of healing for all victims of such abuse be included in all the churches and missions of our diocese.
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