Diocese Addresses Child Abuse Prevention with Training

By Anthony Conn
WTOV-TV
September 14, 2017

http://wtov9.com/news/local/diocese-addresses-child-abuse-prevention-with-training

The Diocese of Steubenville held a training for its members, focusing on how to protect children.

For the last 15 years, the Diocese of Steubenville has been taking steps to educate its members of the proper ways to treat children.

On Thursday night, members of the diocese met at St. Mary's Church in St. Clairsville for their annual child protection workshop.

"It's certainly to show them the signs to be concerned about, and also to work with our children and give them the best possible way for them to grow,” said Bishop Jeffrey Monforton.

Belmont County priests and Catholic school principals were present for the training, as the diocese's decree on child protection laid out how members of the diocese should act when with minors. The training is aimed to educate and protect.

“Mainly it's protection of everyone, primarily protection of the children,” said Frank Fregiato, Belmont County judge. “We also don't want unfounded allegations against the priests either.”

The Catholic church has been in the spotlight over the years over child abuse allegations. The diocese's decree on child protection lays out several rules, including always having two adults present when with a minor, and prohibiting overnight stays with a priest without a parent present.

Since these meetings were introduced 15 years ago, Fregiato says the number of cases has significantly dropped.

“The Catholic church is the leader in the world today, in the United States particularly, in protecting children,” Fregiato said. “We've made tremendous progress and tremendous success."

"We look at the abuse crisis and that taught us in terms of vigilance we must embrace,” Monforton said. “Not just the church, but all schools and all organizations. We owe it to our young brothers and sisters, the most vulnerable, to protect them."

The priests will now go back to their parishes to implement these teachings to their workers.