KANSAS CITY (MO)
Catholic Key [Kansas City-St Joseph, MO]
April 7, 2026
By Karen Ridder
Two decades of accountability are transforming the Church
Accountability. Consistency. Compassion. These three words represent an untold story of the Catholic Church’s response to child abuse in the last two decades. It’s getting results and healing hearts.
It’s a story revealed, not only in data but in programs using compassion and education as a way to carry out two of Christ’s most important missions: protecting children and meeting the deepest needs of people.
Culture of prevention
It has been more than 20 years since the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) first presented the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The document created standards for how sexual abuse allegations involving minors and priests or deacons should be handled across the country.
Adopted in 2002, the document has served as a guide since then for change and accountability. With three previous updates and a fourth review underway this year, efforts have changed and evolved over time, but the results are real. A culture of prevention and an attitude of accountability dominate the current Catholic Church in the United States from the ground up.
Bishop James Johnston says he has seen dramatic changes with regard to consistency and safe environments in the 17 years he has served as a bishop.
There is a night and day difference between where we were, and where we are now. The Church places great resources and attention on forming everyone in the community to make this a priority and everyone has a role,” said Bishop Johnston.
Training has been a key element in changing the culture — not only with volunteers at the parish level and educators in schools, but also for all clergy.
The USCCB Charter recognizes “the entire Catholic community in this country has suffered because of (the child sexual abuse) scandal and its consequences.” (p. 4) That includes the vast majority of Catholic priests who in honorably seeking to live out their mission have had to face an added “air of suspicion” over their ministry from the general public. One goal of the document was to renew confidence in the integrity of the vocation of the priesthood so people would be able to view priests again as people who give “life of service to others after the example of Christ.”
As such, the document has changed the formation of seminarians and younger priests. They now expect these standards as normal and expected — something Bishop Johnston believes will continue to have a tremendous positive influence going forward.
“This document has truly impacted the culture in the Church in some of the most profound ways I’ve seen in the history of our church,” said Bishop Johnston.
Changes include clear policies to respond promptly to any allegations of sexual abuse against a minor. This includes review boards and procedures for how to handle clerics accused. Every diocese is also called upon to adhere to any civil laws involved.
The Catholic Church in the United States has become a high reliability organization with clear goals to protect children. The “high reliability” ideal came from places like hospitals, the military and the travel industry, which regularly succeed in maintaining safe environments despite high-risk situations. Bishop Johnston points out the plan also sets goals central to the message of the Gospel.
“This is rooted in basic Christianity. Jesus used some of his harshest language around those who would harm children or little ones and the innocent. Those entrusted with authority must use their authority to serve and I think the charter is connected to the gospel in this way,” said Bishop Johnston.
The Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph uses a multi-pronged approach involving standards and expectations for those involved in ministry and well-designed responses to allegations of incidents.
Destiny Jackson is the current director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection for the diocese. She says having clear expectations was a relief when she came on the job 18 months ago.
“It really is the guide of everything that we do. It leads our policies and our procedures. It’s our manual — referenced in every part of our work especially when we are speaking to people who might be challenged by a procedure. We reference the charter and the commitments we made,” said Jackson.
Jackson has been instrumental in broadening the answer to the call to help victims/survivors heal. This holistic approach recognizes many victims/survivors are disconnected from the Catholic Church. In many situations, Catholic resources are not the first choice for healing.
“Trauma impacts each of us in a very different way. Sometimes, we forget a lot of people won’t feel like they can receive support in the environment where they have been hurt. That doesn’t mean there isn’t help available. We try to connect them to that help,” said Jackson.
Those connections include partnering with non-Catholic and even non-sectarian community social services to link victims to counseling or other services that might help.
Jackson says a lot of people are surprised her office offers this kind of a bridge to services. She has seen it open doors for healing in a new way — not only for survivors, but for their families as well.
Bishop Johnston says recognizing the pain the greater community experiences when a child is hurt by a clergy member is a very important part of the story, too.
“When someone is wounded, then other people who love them and are part of their life are also impacted, and the local church is also impacted,” said Bishop Johnston.
Jackson’s office has answered this concern by doing more outreach in schools, sharing information about resources, and the important cultural changes happening in the Church at the school and parish level. Jackson’s office also conducts audits to make sure people are comfortable and understand the expected standards.
“We have to make sure safe-guarding and Safe Environment are at the forefront of everyone’s brains and it doesn’t feel like a checklist,” said Jackson.
Results are real
Research shows all of these efforts initiated by the USCCB Charter are having a measurable impact within the Catholic community in this country.
Reported allegations of the sexual abuse of a minor by a priest or deacon have dropped dramatically in the last five years*. From 2020 to 2024, the U.S. experienced a nearly 80 percent reduction in reported instances. In 2020, the total number of allegations received throughout the country was 4,250. In 2024, (the last year for reported data) that number dropped to 902. Only 26 of those allegations involved current-year minors. (The Offices of Child and Youth Protection often take information from adults reporting offenses that happened decades ago. The greatest majority of substantiated offenses occurred in the 1960s to 1990s.)
That massive reduction is in stark contrast to national research following all child sexual abuse in the country. For instance, a 2024 study put out by the National Children’s Advocacy Center estimated 10 percent to 17 percent of all school-age children in the United States will face an incident of sexual abuse at some point at the hands of a teacher/staff member or coach at school. It’s a number believed to be growing.
*CARA Survey of Allegations and Costs for U.S. Catholic Dioceses, Eparchies, and Religious Communities of Men by Jonathon L. Wiggins, Ph.D. and Mary L. Gautier, Ph.D.
For those who still feel alienated and uncertain about the diocese’s response and the safety for children in our parishes, Bishop Johnston quotes Saint Teresa of Calcutta: “Come and see.”
They should come and see for themselves what the changes feel like.
“It’s not to say we’ll ever be totally perfect, because we are made up of human beings and there will always be sin in the world, but everyone is now on the same page in regard to the culture in our church and our schools. This is a way of life,” said Bishop Johnston.
On April 27, the Diocese is marking a day of Prayer in Atonement for those Harmed by Sexual Abuse. Participate by wearing blue in support of survivors and attending daily Mass at a local parish, or at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 W. 12th St., Kansas City, MO 64105.
PRAYER FOR HEALING VICTIMS OF ABUSE
God of endless love,
ever caring, ever strong,
always present, always just:
You gave your only Son
to save us by the blood of his cross.
Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace,
join to your own suffering
the pain of all who have been hurt
in body, mind, and spirit
by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.
Hear our cries as we agonize
over the harm done to our brothers and sisters.
Breathe wisdom into our prayers,
soothe restless hearts with hope,
steady shaken spirits with faith:
Show us the way to justice and wholeness,
enlightened by truth and enfolded in your mercy.
Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts,
heal your people’s wounds
and transform our brokenness.
Grant us courage and wisdom, humility and grace,
so that we may act with justice
and find peace in you.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.