Protecting God's Children Today

Sitting on my desk, awaiting my action, is a list of 24 parishioners to call.  These are the ones who are currently serving in various liturgical ministries, but have either failed to begin or not yet completed all the requirements of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's Safe Environment Program.

In August, right after I arrived in my two parishes, I met with the safe environment coordinators of both parishes.  They shared with me the good news that hundreds of our wonderful volunteers were compliant with diocesan policy.  They also told me that a very small percentage of ministers had not completed the requirements, and what was necessary to help them complete the program.  I wrote a letter to all of them, urging them to complete the requirements.  Our coordinators and I were ready to offer our assistance (e.g., paying all costs of state and FBI checks and the three hour workshop; helping those who did not have a computer to complete the online data base survey).

In that same letter, I stated that I would follow diocesan policy.  If any volunteer failed to complete the requirements and be in compliance with the safe environment program within a reasonable period of time, he or she would not be permitted to serve the parish as a volunteer minister.

In response, some told me what we needed was to have the diocese hold the Protecting God's Children workshop in Lawrence County, so that parishioners didn't have to drive one hour to a Pittsburgh location.  The diocese cooperated, and scheduled one.  On October 16 there was a workshop at a neighboring parish, and 60 ministers from my parishes and others in Lawrence County attended.  This was very good. 

But I am still left with two dozen folks who, for their own reasons, have not completed the requirements.

A few have made excuses for their failure saying that being part of the diocesan data base and petitioning the state for a statement that they have never been convicted of child abuse or any felony is invading their privacy.  Others say, I've been an (usher/lector/whatever) for umpteen years, and I've never harmed anyone.  Why do I have to do all this rigamarole now?

My response is clear.  The sins of the Catholic Church in this country and elsewhere are many and all too public over the past 60 years in failing to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from abuse.  They have made headlines for decades.  A few of my brother priests have gone to jail for their crimes.  More have been permanently barred from ministry. 

Nine years ago the Catholic Church's hierarchy in this country said we need to do better.  They said, we will establish certain norms for all in ministry--bishops, priests, deacons, lay ecclesial ministers, paid staff, and all volunteers.  And we will hold ourselves accountable with external, objective audits.  In the Diocese of Pittsburgh over 32,000 are registered in our data base, and have completed the simple requirements.  Our diocese has received accolades from the outside auditors for our written diocesan regulations and policy guidelines.  But all 207 parishes and every institution have to implement them.  We must be vigilant in continuing to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Some of my parishioners might think that the crisis has passed, and that we can relax our vigilance. 

Maybe in January they never read the second Grand Jury report issued within the past six years on the failures by the two former archbishops of Philadelphia to enforce the safe environment norms.  Two priests, a former priest and a former school teacher are now indicted and on trial for various charges of abusing young people. 

Maybe they don’t read the newspapers, and see that hardly a week goes by without a story about a teacher or youth minister (in other-than-Catholic churches) or coach who is arrested for child abuse.

Or maybe they missed the news just three weeks ago that the bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Robert W. Finn, was charged with a misdemeanor charge of failure to report child abuse.  In December a Catholic school principal reported what she saw as “grooming behavior” by her pastor as he interacted with the parish’s children.  When the diocese investigated, the priest’s laptop was found with (according to an AP wire service report) “disturbing photos on the hard drive.  The photos included pictures of female children at parish events, including one of a naked female child who was not identifiable.  In May a search of his family’s home turned up a disk and hard drive with 18 different images of child pornography.”  The priest, Shawn Ratigan, was arrested on state charge of possessing child pornography and on federal charges of producing child pornography.  The diocese and the bishop held onto this information for six months before they reported what they knew to the local county prosecutor.  During these six months the priest remained in good standing and was often seen at school and parish events with children.

The charges against the bishop and the diocese come not only nine years after the U.S. bishops’s conference overwhelmingly ratified the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, but also three years after Bishop Finn himself made promises to report suspected abusers to law enforcement authorities as part of a $10 million legal settlement with 47 sexual abuse victims in Kansas City.

My parishioners are not going to be happy when I talk with them about the safe environment program, and their failure to comply.  I will tell them that if it is their decision not to work with us to protect God’s children, I respect that, but following diocesan policy and national church norms, I also must not allow them to volunteer and serve in the name of the church.  They will remain Catholics in good standing, and in my esteem.    I doubt I will be held in much esteem by them.  But such is the price to pay in trying to protect the children entrusted to the church’s care.