Archbishop's Residence
Boston, Massachusetts
May 30, 2003
Dear Friends
in Christ:
Last June, I went to Dallas for a very important meeting
with the Bishops of the United States. The meeting was held in
light of the revelations of sexual abuse of children by members
of the
clergy and the mistakes that happened in the assignment of clergy
after reports of their abusing children had been received. The
Bishops as a body made commitments which are contained in the Charter
for
the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms.
These commitments pledge the Catholic Church in the United States
to the protection of children, to the pastoral care and assistance
for those who have been harmed by sexual abuse, and to a prompt
and effective response to redress wrongs that have occurred.
Today,
I
am pleased to decree for the Archdiocese of Boston Policies and
Procedures for the Protection of Children which develop the commitments
made
in Dallas by detailing the comprehensive response of our local
Church in this most grave area of concern. We must be ever attentive
to
the words of Jesus when He said about whoever leads a child astray
that it would be better for that person “to have a great millstone
hung about his neck and to be drowned in
the depths of the sea” (Matt.18: 6).
In presenting these Policies and Procedures, I call upon all the
faithful to read and understand them in the context of our life
and mission as Church guided by the teaching of Sacred Scripture,
Tradition and the Magisterium. The Gospel values of respect for
the dignity of all people especially children, compassion, justice
and truth are the foundation for these Policies and Procedures.
These values must be upheld and faithfully adhered to so that the
integrity of the Church as founded by Jesus Christ may be realized.
In this way we can be as responsive as He would be to these most
serious matters.
These values lead us to:
- a compassionate and pastoral response to those who
have been sexually abused
- a process for investigating allegations of sexual
abuse by a clergyman or an Archdiocesan employee or volunteer which
promotes ecclesial justice and protects
personal rights
- a commitment to strive for reconciliation and healing
for all involved, for we must imitate the Lord who strove not to
lose any who were His
(Cf. John 6:39).
The Policies and Procedures which I am promulgating today are
the result of a lengthy process of consultation. This consultation has
included members of the faithful, persons who have been harmed
by sexual abuse and their
families, persons trained in Church teaching and law, experts in the treatment
of persons who have suffered sexual abuse and, notably, the members of
the Commission for the
Protection of Children. I am most grateful for the contributions of all
who have participated in this collaborative process. I am confident,
given the breadth
of this consultative process,
that these Policies and Procedures will serve the Archdiocese
of Boston well as we strive to provide for the safety of children
and to address incidents of sexual abuse of children within
the
life of the Church.
It is my intention that there be ongoing
consultation and dialogue among us as we go forward to ensure that
the Policies
and Procedures for the Protection of Children are our very
best response to addressing this grave matter. We must continue
to make
every effort to ensure that the crisis we have so painfully
lived through and whose effects we continue to experience may never
occur
again.
As I pledge myself to carry out these commitments,
I earnestly invite all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Boston
to do the
same for the sake of our children who are our treasures and
our future. As I make this commitment, I do
so realizing that “healing and reconciliation are beyond human capacity alone.
Only God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness
can lead us forward, trusting Christ’s promise: ‘for
God all things are possible’ (Matt. 19:26)” (Charter for the Protection of Children,
Article 1).
Praying for God’s blessings upon all of us, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The
Most Reverend
Richard G. Lennon, D.D.
Apostolic Administrator
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