Diocese AG Make Progress Audit Church Cooperating, by Joelle Farrell, Concord Monitor, April 2, 2008

Diocese, AG Make Progress
Audit: Church Cooperating

By Joelle Farrell
Concord Monitor
April 2, 2008

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/FRONTPAGE/804020301

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester has shown greater willingness to work alongside law enforcement officials to help prevent sexual abuse of children by priests and church leaders, according to the state's third annual audit of the diocese.

New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte commended the diocese for "significant progress" in establishing a program to help eliminate sexual abuse of minors by clergy members. Some of the diocese's latest efforts include an online database that tracks complaints, improved training for church staff, and educational materials for parents and children, including a coloring book about safety available at the diocese's website.

A coloring book about safety can be downloaded by parents and children on the dioceses website, catholicchurchnh.org.
Photo by Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester

"I am very pleased that we are now having a much more open dialogue," she said at a press conference yesterday.

The diocese agreed to annual audits in 2002 to avoid charges of protecting or shuffling sexually abusive priests among parishes for decades. Until this year, the relationship between the diocese and the attorney general's office was strained.

The initial audit, completed in 2006, revealed the diocese wasn't checking sex offender registries or performing criminal background checks on all church staff and volunteers, said Senior Assistant Attorney General Will Delker.

Last year, Ayotte faulted the diocese for a "failure to take responsibility at the top" and threatened legal action. The audit, performed by an independent firm, KPMG, cited critical gaps in the diocese's system for dealing with clergy abuse complaints, including failure to place a clergy member on leave while abuse claims were investigated.

Some gaps remain, but Ayotte said she is pleased with the shift in cooperation and attitude at the diocese.

"From the first audit until now, we have seen very dramatic improvements," she said.

The diocese has established an infrastructure to help prevent clergy abuse, and now the system needs fine-tuning, Delker said. The diocese's commitment to the program gives Delker confidence that the safeguards will continue after the final audit is performed next year.

The Rev. Edward Arsenault, the diocese's top official for clergy conduct, said like all relationships, the one between the diocese and the attorney general's office has grown.

"We have a wholesome and effective dialogue with them," he said. "This is now part of the day-to-day life of the Catholic Church in New Hampshire. This is really institutionalized."

Last year's audit specifically criticized Arsenault for failing to be candid and forthcoming with auditors.

Yesterday, he said, "I had a bad interview with the auditor last year, and I'm willing to accept . . . responsibility for that."

The 2002 agreement came in the wake of revelations that Catholic Church officials kept secret decades of abuse at the hands of clergy. The church did not inform law enforcement officials and shuffled abusive priests to other parishes, where they sometimes continued to assault children.

The 2002 agreement did not prevent the state from prosecuting individual priests. The diocese acknowledged its wrongdoing and agreed to implement new programs to train and screen personnel and to report suspected abuse. The church also agreed to a yearly review of its practices for five years. The fourth and final audit report will be completed next year.

This year's audit noted several shortcomings, including the diocese's failure to revise a policy that would immediately suspend any priest or church leader accused of sexual abuse. In practice, the church has complied with the state's wishes, informing law enforcement of each abuse allegation and suspending the accused person during the investigation. But the policy states that the accused could only be suspended if the allegations have a "semblance of truth."

In a letter to Bishop John McCormack, Ayotte wrote, "I must reiterate my position that the agreement unambiguously requires an alleged abuser to be removed from any position in which there is contact with minors until the matter is fully and appropriately investigated. It does not permit the Bishop to make a preliminary determination of whether the allegation appears truthful."

Although last year Arsenault defended the church's right to determine whether an accusation was "scurrilous" before suspending a clergy member, yesterday, he said he was confident that the diocese could resolve the problem.

This year's audit also asked that the diocese develop a timetable for investigations following an abuse complaint and do more to inform parishioners that abuse should be reported to law enforcement officials.

Last year, the diocese reported 16 cases of abuse. All but two of the cases involved priests who were previously accused or are now dead, Delker said. Two cases involving church leaders are under investigation.

So far this year, the diocese has reported six abuse cases, with one case ruled unfounded, Delker said. Four others involved priests who are dead or already accused of abuse. One case involves a retired priest who was immediately removed from any interaction with children while he is investigated.

While the state attorney general's office may be pleased with the results of the audit, some advocates for victims of clergy abuse have adopted a more wait -and-see attitude.

"Do I trust them? No, not yet," said Carol Disco, who chairs survivor support for New Hampshire Voice of the Faithful. "I welcome anything headed in the right direction. But their record is not encouraging."