BishopAccountability.org
	N.H. Catholic Diocese Issues Annual Audit on Abuse Prevention By Katharine Webster Foster's Daily Democrat [Concord NH] March 15, 2007 http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070315/NEWS0201/70315023 The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester made "significant progress" to protect its young people from sexual abuse through better screening and training last year, according to an internal audit released Wednesday. The Diocesan Review Board said the diocese continues to report abuse allegations to civil authorities, but a church official wouldn't say how many allegations were received or passed along. "I can tell you that the policy works because we still receive reports of abuse, the vast majority from many years ago," said the Rev. Edward Arsenault. "That's part of the problem of the abuse of minors _ it takes years before people are willing to report this." The diocese was criticized in the past for failing to tell authorities about reports of abuse that were not deemed credible or that occurred a long time ago. That policy has been updated to require immediate reporting to the state attorney general's office, as well as child protection workers and local police when appropriate, no matter when the abuse occurred, Arsenault said. "The place that we're in today allows anyone who was harmed in the past to not worry about when it happened _ to tell law enforcement or us," he said. The diocese is also reconciling its records with the attorney general's office each quarter to ensure that's being done, Arsenault said. The Diocesan Review Board's 2005 audit found that not all churches and parochial schools had fully complied with screening procedures for clergy, employees and volunteers who work regularly with minors. But as of May 1, 2006, all had been screened, the latest audit said. Those who work with children are required to complete a screening form, receive a copy of the church's abuse-prevention policy and undergo multiple background checks. They also must be trained on appropriate conduct and required reporting procedures, and attend a workshop on sexual abuse awareness and prevention, according to the report. The diocese also hired a compliance coordinator who visited all 108 parishes and 25 schools to ensure the policy was being followed and that new employees and volunteers are being trained quickly, according to the report. More than four years ago, the diocese acknowledged its conduct had harmed children and that it probably would have been convicted of child endangerment, if it had not settled a criminal investigation by the state. In the past five years, 15,000 employees and volunteers have been trained to recognize and report signs of child abuse, Arsenault said. The board recommend continuing education, according to the self-audit. The report also said the diocese did not assign priests or deacons who have admitted to abuse or have been found guilty of abuse. "It's been a very painful chapter for us as a church, but I think the bishop's goal has been that we would work on the solution together," Arsenault said. "And our work isn't done. There is some desire among some people to say, 'When is this going to be over?' And my response would be, 'As long as there's some abuse of minors in society and the church, it's not going to be over."' An earlier audit by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also found the diocese had complied with the national church policy on protecting minors, according to the report. However, no results have been released yet by independent auditors KPMG Inc., which investigated the diocese on behalf of the state attorney general's office.
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