UPCOMING ATTORNEY GENERAL REPORT
On August 14th, 2018, Pennsylvania released their Grand Jury Report on priest abuse. In the report it showed that over 301 priests had abused over 1,000 children over the span of 70 years. It was an atrocity and another stain on the Church's leadership in the United States. The people of God, who trusted their priests to be good shepherds like Christ, saw that some of their leaders were wolves in priests’ clothing. For my own priesthood, it was quite the challenge. I remember preaching on August 19th of that year in tears because of the horror of these sins and the pain that was caused, while at the same time realizing how the stain of these atrocities would be assumed of me and my own priesthood. I did my best in trying to reaffirm the people of God of the need for the Church to continue to root out this evil as best as she could.
Shortly after that Pennsylvania report, Lisa Madigan, the attorney general for Illinois at the time, requested all diocesan files in Illinois to be turned over to their office as well. She too wanted to make sure that nothing was being hidden or covered up by the Dioceses in Illinois. I’m bringing all of this up because I was recently told in a deanery meeting with the other local priests that the Illinois AG report will be released shortly. Of course, I have yet to see the report myself, but I wanted to once again reaffirm the people of God, especially all of you here at Our Lady of Mercy, that the Diocese of Joliet, along with myself as your pastor, will always do our best to protect the people of God--most importantly our children and vulnerable adults.
In August, Bishop Hicks wrote a wonderful article on the 2002
Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People:
https://www.dioceseofjoliet.org/bishop/content1.php?secid=110. In the article, he talks about the steps taken by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and our own diocese in an effort to eradicate sexual abuse within our churches. This includes making all clergy, parish staff, and volunteers undergo criminal background checks, train as mandated reporters, and learn how to be able to prevent, spot, and report sexual abuse. All allegations are required to be reported directly to civil authorities and credible, substantiated claims lead to the immediate removal of all from active ministry, including priests. One encouraging quotation from our bishop’s column stated:
Four cases are still too many, but I believe that the Church is continuing to make great strides in eradicating child sex abuse within her leadership. I saw this in my own time in seminary formation where I had the opportunity to work with men discerning the vocation to the priesthood. From the time I went through seminary to now, the Church has continued to improve and strengthen its measures in protecting the Church from further abuses. Currently, any man considering a vocation to the priesthood must undergo an extensive psychological evaluation before even being accepted, with another evaluation being conducted during his time in seminary. On top of that, each seminarian receives yearly evaluations which look in-depth not only into his academic and spiritual life, but also into his human and pastoral relationships. These measures, along with many others, have the capacity to quickly flag any potential issues in a candidate for the priesthood.
Let us continue to pray for the Church and her success to eradicate such sin within her leadership; let us pray for those who have been abused by leaders of the Church; and, as hard as it is to say, but as Christ compels us, let us pray also for those who have committed or sought to cover up these heinous acts of abuse—that our Church may be freed from the scourge of such scandals and be flooded with the healing and selfless love of Christ.
Reverend Michael T. Kearney
Pastor
Enclosures
- Press Release dated May 18, 2023 “Illinois Catholic Dioceses Publish a Summary of their Processes for Handling Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors Against Clerics”
- Q and A for the Upcoming Report on Sexual Abuse of Minors in the Catholic Church in Illinois from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Press Release dated May 18, 2023 “Illinois Catholic Dioceses Publish a Summary of their Processes for Handling Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors Against Clerics”
All Catholic dioceses in Illinois today issued a summary (attached) of their common processes for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors against any Catholic cleric who is ministering or has ministered within their respective boundaries. The Catholic Church in the United States instituted these and similar processes in response to a growing understanding that, over its history, church clerics and other personnel had sexually abused children in their care and that the response to these crimes had been inadequate. While most of the processes described in the attached have been in place for many years, Illinois dioceses may have described or applied them in different ways.
In the late 20th century, dioceses began developing policies and procedures for dealing with clergy sexual abuse of minors. Still, the independent governance of dioceses and the protective attitudes among leadership proved to be barriers to widespread adoption of meaningful reforms. In 2002, a media expose triggered a public scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston and provided the impetus for a uniform national approach. That year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) adopted its Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (the Charter), based on policies adopted in 1992 in Chicago, that set forth procedures for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors and the healing of survivors.
The Charter sets forth principles and standards for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy, and each Illinois diocese has continually improved its policies to conform to national standards and as a result of its experiences. The Church’s approach to clerical misconduct, including the Charter, has been updated over the past twenty years. All Illinois dioceses are in full compliance with the Charter adopted in 2002 and continually revised in 2005, 2011 and 2018 by the USCCB.
In addition, the global Church has continued to evolve the way it deals with clergy sexual abuse of minors, particularly in enforcing a uniform approach. In 2019, Pope Francis issued the decree entitled Vos Estis Lux Mundi, mandating a world-wide system for the reporting, investigating and adjudicating of allegations against bishops, both of participating in an act of abuse, and of failing to respond appropriately to allegations of abuse by another cleric. Soon thereafter, the USCCB adopted Directives for the Implementation of the Provisions of Vos Estis Lux Mundi Concerning Bishops and Their Equivalents, establishing a system for the reporting and investigation of such allegations within the United States. Under this system, the “metropolitan archbishop” of a region coordinates this process with lay investigators unless he is the subject of the allegation, in which case, the senior suffragan bishop by promotion in that region conducts the investigation. The Archbishop of Chicago is the metropolitan archbishop for the “Chicago Province,” which includes all six Illinois dioceses. The current senior suffragan bishop of this province is Most Rev. Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield.
Over the past four years, the Illinois dioceses have worked with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General to improve the transparency and effectiveness of their policies. Prompted by the Attorney General’s investigation, the dioceses have critically reviewed current policies and implemented certain recommended changes to their existing reporting to the public to further increase transparency.
“The Catholic Church in Illinois has been at the forefront of dealing with sexual abuse of minors for many years,” said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago and Metropolitan of the Chicago Province. “In 1992, the Archdiocese of Chicago, led by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, formulated and adopted policies for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy including, for the first time, a lay review board. Cardinal Bernardin presented the Chicago policies to the USCCB meeting in 1993. These policies formed the basis of the USCCB 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”
Cardinal Cupich continued, “At this time, working with the Office of the Attorney General of Illinois, the leaders of all six Illinois dioceses endeavored to make clear and update our approach, mindful of our lived experience and best practices in this field. Our common goals in doing so are to ensure we offer pastoral support to those affected by this tragedy and to work diligently to prevent it from occurring again.”
The Illinois dioceses’ procedures include, among other things:
- The diocesan website publication of the names of its clerics credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors,
- Policies for handling allegations of sexual abuse of minors against clerics incardinated in their dioceses,
- Diocesan policies for handling such allegations against deceased, laicized and religious order priests, and
- Processes for dealing with allegations that arise during criminal investigations or civil lawsuits.
It is important to note that, for many years, the Illinois dioceses have:
- Acted promptly upon receipt of an allegation of sexual abuse of minors,
- Reported all such allegations to civil authorities,
- Established victim assistance ministries,
- Established special offices to handle allegations of sexual abuse of minors,
- Created independent, lay-majority review boards that advise the bishop and review the bishop’s decisions related to allegations of sexual abuse of minors, and
- Conducted robust safe-environment abuse-prevention programs.
By issuing this joint public statement, the Illinois dioceses hope to enhance the public’s understanding of how they handle allegations of sexual abuse of minors. As always, the safety and protection of children, and the fair and compassionate treatment of those who report abuse, will remain paramount factors in our actions. The bishops of the Illinois dioceses stand ready to collaborate with all agencies and organizations in Illinois that care for and educate children in establishing effective policies and practices for child safety, confident we can learn from each other.
The Illinois Catholic dioceses - Belleville, Chicago, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford, and Springfield - serve 3.4 million Catholics, comprising approximately 27 percent of the total state population, through more than 900 parishes. All dioceses act immediately upon receipt of an allegation of sexual abuse of minors.
Q and A for the Upcoming Report on Sexual Abuse of Minors in the Catholic Church in Illinois from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Why is the Illinois attorney general issuing this report?
Madigan, along with several other attorneys general across the country, initiated an investigation into Catholic clergy sexual abuse against minors in August 2018. These inquiries came on the heels of the release that same month of a two-year grand jury investigation by the office of the Pennsylvania attorney general into sexual abuse of minors by clergy of the Catholic Church in that state. That report may be found here:
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/report/
Why has it taken so long for the Illinois attorney general’s office to issue the final report?
Raoul took office in January 2019, and a little more than a year later, the coronavirus pandemic began, prompting attention to be shifted to navigating the pandemic. Additionally, in the midst of the pandemic, Raoul’s office experienced a serious data breach, which caused further delays in the investigation.
When will the report be issued?
Representatives of the Illinois attorney general’s office have indicated to attorneys representing the six Catholic arch/dioceses in the state to expect the report this fall.
What will be in the report?
Representatives of the Illinois attorney general’s office have indicated to diocesan attorneys that the report will highlight areas of deficiency in reporting or handling of credible allegations against clergy.
Have investigators from the attorney general’s office visited the Diocese of Joliet?
Yes, on several occasions. They have also visited the other five arch/dioceses in Illinois: Chicago, Rockford, Springfield, Peoria and Belleville. The Diocese of Joliet has been very cooperative with the attorney general’s office and has complied with all requests for information.
How should I prepare my parishioners for the report?
The following background may be helpful.
In early 2002, The Boston Globe published results of an investigation into sexual abuse of minors by priests in the Archdiocese of Boston. In June 2002, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops met in Dallas for its regular meeting and established the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
Known as the Charter, this document sets out a mandated blueprint for dioceses and eparchies to follow to create a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults in our churches, schools and activities, as well as to receive and respond to allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
Bishop Hicks wrote about the 20th anniversary of the Charter in his August 2022 column, outlining the steps the Diocese of Joliet follows to ensure a safe environment, as well as dealing with allegations of clergy sexual abuse.
What happens when an allegation of sexual abuse against a minor is made against a Diocese of Joliet clergy member?
(Please report any allegations of sexual abuse against a minor to Leah Heffernan, director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection, at lheffernan@dioceseofjoliet.org or 815-221-6116.) - All allegations of abuse and/or neglect of minors are encouraged to be reported to the state child welfare agency – the DCFS hotline (1-800-25-ABUSE) here in Illinois – and the local public authorities. The diocese’s Office of Child and Youth Protection also reports the allegation to these agencies.
- The diocese offers the help of a victim assistance coordinator to the individual who suffered the abuse. The victim assistance coordinator listens to, affirms and connects the individual with the appropriate services. This same pastoral care is offered when the alleged abuser is deceased. Our diocesan victim assistance coordinator is Lori Chassee, who can be reached at 815-263-6497.
- The diocese then initiates an investigation into the allegation.
- The same investigative process is followed when the accused priest or deacon is deceased or already listed on the diocesan list of credible allegations of sexual misconduct with minors.
- If the priest or deacon is in active ministry, he is removed while the investigation is ongoing and advised of his right to counsel.
- If public authorities conduct a criminal investigation against the cleric, the diocese defers its own investigation until that public inquiry is concluded and cooperates fully with public authorities. The diocese will work with public authorities to provide information about the victim assistance coordinator to the alleged victim.
- Following the diocesan investigation, allegations against clergy not on the diocesan public list go before the diocesan review board.
- The Charter requires this panel to be composed of a majority of lay people not employed by the diocese and to include a pastor and a person with expertise in the treatment of minors who have been sexually abused.
- The review board advises the bishop in his assessment of the allegations and the cleric’s suitability for ministry. Priests or deacons determined to have credible allegations are permanently removed from ministry and placed on the diocesan list, which is published on the diocesan website.
- When the allegation is found to be unsubstantiated, the cleric is returned to active ministry and steps are taken to restore his good name.
Where can I get information on clergy in the Diocese of Joliet who have credible allegations of sexual abuse against a minor?
In accordance with the Charter, the Joliet diocese maintains a list of clergy who have been determined to have a credible allegation on its website: www.dioceseofjoliet.org. A graphic in the lower-left hand corner of the home page links to the page of the Office of Child and Youth Protection:
https://www.dioceseofjoliet.org/ct/sectioncontent.php?secid=13
It should be noted this list contains the names of priests who are deceased, as well as those priests who belong to religious orders.
When was the most recent time a name was placed on the list?
May 28, 2019.