Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
September 11, 2002
Revisions of archdiocesan sexual misconduct policy nearly complete
Amended policy includes requirements of U.S. bishops' Dallas charter
Twelve weeks after the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted national guidelines for addressing sexual abuse among clergy, the Archdiocese of Denver is nearing completion of a revised sexual misconduct policy for its clergy and lay employees.
In implementing the national directives, the archdiocese is expanding its longstanding Conduct Response Team and cooperating with other local dioceses on the establishment of a provincial review board.
The amended policy is currently under review by the Presbyteral Council and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, according to Fran Maier, chancellor of the archdiocese.
The Archdiocese of Denver's first sexual misconduct policy was put in place in 1991. All clergy and employees are required to read, agree to and sign it before working for the archdiocese.
"We continue to operate under the 1991 policy, which has been very effective," Maier said. "But the new policy will contain substantial revisions. We've consulted with law enforcement officials, parents, victims and the various groups that advise the archbishop."
The Archdiocese of Denver had already begun the process of updating its policy in 2001. The widely reported national abuse scandal then erupted in early 2002. The U.S. bishops addressed the scandal at a national meeting in Dallas June 13-15, emerging with a "Charter for the Protection of Young People."
Immediately thereafter, the Archdiocese of Denver began revisiting its own policy in light of the new national requirements.
"The newly revised policy, while implementing the expectations of the Dallas meeting for clergy responsibility, reflects our desire to hold all employees to the same high standards rightly expected by the people we serve," said Msgr. Thomas Fryar, vicar for clergy and seminarians.
Among the requirements of the Dallas charter, which is available at www.usccb.org, is the establishment of a predominantly lay review board to assess allegations and advise the bishop. To comply with the charter, the Archdiocese of Denver's Conduct Response Team will be expanded from three to five people. The newly constituted team will include two laywomen who are parents, and a layman who is a parent.
"We knew we wanted to add an experienced person from the legal and law enforcement field, and we wanted an additional person with strong counseling skills," Maier said.
Guidelines for a provincial review board are under consideration as well, another mandate from the charter. The board will hear appeals on certain types of decisions made by diocesan boards in the Province of Denver, which includes the Archdiocese of Denver and the Dioceses of Colorado Springs, Cheyenne and Pueblo.
The Dallas charter approved by the U.S. bishops in June is currently under Vatican review.
"We've worked with that contingency in mind," said Maier. "Whether Rome asks for adjustments in the national charter or not, the practical effect on Denver will be small. The revised archdiocesan policy is designed to do better what we've worked hard to do well for many years — i.e., prevent misconduct and abuse, and provide a safe environment for families. That won't change."
When promulgated later this month, the new archdiocesan sexual misconduct policy will be published in the Denver Catholic Register and will be permanently available on the Archdiocese of Denver Web site, along with guidance on identifying and reporting sexual misconduct and abuse.
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