Diocesan response to crisis includes counseling offers

Diocesan response to crisis includes counseling offers

A charge of public lewdness leveled last week against a Rensselaer County pastor has put into effect the Albany Diocese’s response to such situations: help not only for him but also for any others who may be involved.

Rev. John Varno, pastor of St. Jude’s parish in Wynantskill, was charged with a misdemeanor during a State Police sting at a highway rest stop in Schodack. He has since taken a leave of absence from the parish.

When such events occur, said Rev. Anthony Chiaramonte, several steps are taken by the Diocese. He is director of the diocesan Consultation Center in Albany, a mental health agency. While he could not speak specifically about Father Varno’s situation because of confidentiality, he did talk generically about the process used in such situations.

"We are asked to see the individual involved and ascertain what the problem is," Father Chiaramonte explained. "We try to find the best possible procedure for him."

The case of Father Varno did not involve any victims; when it does, Father Chiaramonte said, "we are also very concerned for those who are victimized and offer them assistance."

Depending on the problem, the priest mat then go into on-going out-patient therapy or be placed in a specialized facility. If the latter is the choice, Father Chiaramonte stays in touch with the facility to follow the progress of treatment and then provides follow-up care based on its recommendations.

In addition, he said, "we provide services for the parish, families and anyone else affected by what happened."

Echoing that approach was Sister Anne Bryan Smollin, CSJ, executive director of diocesan Counseling for the Laity in Albany, who said: "We look at the situation, the needs and the target groups" and then respond.

In the Wynantskill case, that meant providing help for parishioners, including school children. As a first step, Sister Anne Bryan visited St. Jude’s last week to meet with faculty of the school. Meetings with parents and children were also planned. "It’s not ‘once and that’s it,’" she said of the process. "I’m a phone call away" when problems and other needs arise.

During her meeting with the faculty, "we came up with appropriate ways to handle questions [from children] about the situation," Sister Anne said.

Children outside of St. Jude’s may have similar questions since the media widely covered the arrest, she said, recommending that parents "explain what lewdness is. Be specific and say it’s wrong. Have the courage to say he shouldn’t have done it in order to teach that it’s wrong."

The support shown to Father Varno by many of his parishioners doesn’t surprise either father Chiaramonte or Sister Anne Bryan. "He was there for people in times of crisis such as funerals," she said, and they are reciprocating. But she does worry that some parishioners may be in "strong denial" about what he did.

As for Father Chiaramonte, he finds the willingness of Catholics to forgive "quite edifying. One of the key components for healing and one of the key elements of our faith is forgiveness."

(11-20-97)