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I thought you all might like to read the latest from our Archdiocese on abuse in the news:
I thought you all might like to read the latest from our Archdiocese on abuse in the news:
Sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime and when committed by a member of the clergy it is a breach of sacred trust. While our response to this problem has not always been adequate, we cannot change what happened decades in the past. We must instead take responsibility for these crimes, apologize to victims, offer them compassionate pastoral care and take decisive steps to prevent future abuse. This has been the commitment by the Archdiocese of Seattle for more than 20 years and it remains our firm commitment today. Our ongoing efforts include:
- Immediate removal of any priest, employee or volunteer within the Archdiocese upon receipt of a credible allegation of abuse, regardless of when the abuse occurred;
- Immediate reporting to law enforcement authorities;
- Investigation of any credible allegation by a qualified professional investigator;
- Consultation with the Archdiocesan Review Board, comprised of professionals with extensive experience in the field of child sexual abuse;
- Permanent removal from ministry of any priest, employee or volunteer when an allegation is admitted or established;
- Comprehensive background checks for all priests, employees and those volunteers with ongoing, unsupervised contact with minors;
- Annual Safe Environment training for all priests, all employees and those volunteers who have ongoing, unsupervised contact with minors;
- Safe Environment education for elementary and secondary school children in our Catholic schools;
- Training for parents and any interested individuals.