Bishop Hubbard reviews progress in Diocese

After the reports on clergy sexual abuse were released Feb. 27, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard released this statement:

"The reports by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the National Review Board are disturbing and painful.

"We bishops failed to address properly the sexual abuse problem within the Church. We cannot change this tragic history, but we can make sure it does not repeat itself.

"We are called to demonstrate our solemn commitment to prevention, accountability and transparency by eliminating opportunities for sexual abuse of children in every Catholic parish, school and agency.

"We are making progress in the Albany Diocese by:

* "requiring background checks for staff and volunteers who are in contact with children (11,500 individuals have been checked so far);

* "training employees and volunteers in how to protect children by creating safe environments (10,000 individuals have been trained so far);

* "encouraging all victims of sexual abuse by a priest to come forward so that we can provide support and assistance, and identify abusers who should be removed from ministry.

"Last December, the Albany Diocese was among the first in the country to issue its own statistical report on the incidence of clergy sexual abuse since 1950. (The full report, as issued in December, is available at www.rcda.org.)

"The report showed that the Diocese had found reasonable cause to believe allegations against 18 priests -- 2 percent of the 814 diocesan priests in service in the last 53 years. None of the 18 priests is still in ministry.

"The Albany Diocese encourages anyone who as a minor was sexually abused by a priest or deacon to contact Assistance Coordinator Theresa F. Rodrigues at 453-6646 or write to her at [email protected]."

(3/4/04) [[In-content Ad]]