UNITED STATES
National Catholic Register
by JOAN FRAWLEY DESMOND 01/13/2015
CHICAGO — Last November, a Boston Globe story examined the Society of Jesus’ past failure to restrict the activities of a high-profile Jesuit with a string of complaints about his contact with boys.
According to papers filed in legal proceedings and cited by the Globe, Jesuit Father Donald McGuire repeatedly violated his superior’s order that he avoid traveling with minors and was ultimately convicted in federal court of sexually abusing two boys. He is now serving a 25-year sentence.
Much has changed since McGuire was convicted and laicized almost a decade ago. In the wake of the 2002 clergy-abuse crisis and the U.S. bishops’ approval of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” religious orders have also implemented zero-tolerance policies for members with substantiated accusations of child sexual abuse, and they have established safe-environment training and lay review boards.
But unlike U.S. dioceses, religious orders allow some members with substantiated allegations to remain in community, with restrictions — known as “safety plans” — based on the seriousness of the offense and on related evaluations.
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