• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, is seen in this undated photo. (CNS photo/Terry Scroggins, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau)

USCCB plans to release more resources on abuse prevention, child protection

June 14, 2022
By Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, World News

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., invited Catholics June 13 “to pray for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, their families and all those who accompany survivors in the path toward healing, that they experience Christ’s profound love for them and God’s healing grace.”

As chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. urged the prayers in a statement on the 20th anniversary of the USCCB’s “Dallas Charter” addressing “the sin of clergy sexual abuse.”

“It was two decades ago that the U.S. bishops gathered in Dallas to draft a comprehensive set of child protection standards that became the ‘Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,’ which each diocese and eparchy is now committed to following,” Bishop Johnston said.

“Since the implementation of the charter, the USCCB has been a resource for the creation and implementation of child protection policies and safe environment programs that are enforced at the local level,” he added.

The USCCB website has a “Prayer for Healing Victims of Abuse,” which can be found at https://www.usccb.org/prayers/prayer-healing-victims-abuse.

The charter, originally approved by the bishops during their spring assembly in Dallas in June 2002, is a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy.

Besides child protection and safe environment policies, the charter also addresses healing and reconciliation for abuse survivors; requirements for making a prompt and effective response to allegations and cooperating with civil authorities; disciplining offenders; and providing for accountability and the prevention of future acts.

The charter, which was revised in 2005, 2011 and 2018, also created the USCCB’s Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection.

The bishops also established the National Review Board during their June 2002 meeting. The lay advisory group oversees the bishops’ compliance with child protection policies; the board’s functions were revised slightly and reconfirmed in June 2004.

“Dioceses and eparchies have faced evolutionary shifts and changes during these past 20 years since the passage of the charter, and we are grateful to the Holy See for the multiple measures they have taken to address the issue of sexual abuse and bishop accountability for the global Catholic Church,” Bishop Johnston said.

Pope Francis “has tried to set an example by pushing for greater accountability, transparency and honesty on handling clergy sexual abuse.,” he added.

Bishop Johnston also emphasized the church’s continued commitment to vigilance in protecting children and the vulnerable.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the charter, he said, the USCCB’s Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection will release several new resources in coming weeks that will be available on online at https://www.usccb.org/committees/protection-children-young-people.

The resources include videos, podcasts and a webinar series in the secretariat’s ongoing commitment to assist the dioceses and eparchies of the United States “in safeguarding children and the vulnerable,” the bishop said.

This year, he added, the secretariat will continue its High Reliability Organization initiative, which provides diocesan/eparchial staff with proactive abuse prevention strategies, and the Child Abuse Prevention Empowerment online learning platform available to all church personnel to learn more about matters of child and youth protection.

“The USCCB’s Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People along with the National Review Board have provided vital guidance and insight for the dioceses and eparchies through educational opportunities, resource libraries and policy consultation,” Bishop Johnston said.

“I am most grateful for the engagement of survivors who have shared their painful experiences with us and have allowed us to walk with them in their journey toward healing as we strive to create a culture of protection and healing, and continuous improvement,” he added.

Read More Child & Youth Protection

Catholic, labor leaders raise concerns as Arkansas revises child labor law

Statute of limitations bill called ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘unfair’

Catholics concerned as U.S. child labor violations increase and lawmakers seek to weaken laws

Delaware bill would break seal of confession, require priest to report what penitent says

‘Sorry’ is not enough: Abuse victims need answers, support, pope says

Judge orders release of redacted attorney general’s report on clergy child sexual abuse

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • Trainor to retire from post as Mount St. Mary’s president in 2024
  • Movie Review: ’65’
  • Sister Mary Kathleen Marie Saffa dies at 86

| Latest Local News |

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

| Latest World News |

Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem

Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate

Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Movie Review: ‘In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis’
  • Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem
  • Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94
  • Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate
  • Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops
  • Pope Francis is praised in U.N. talks for efforts to combat anti-Muslim prejudice
  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • Legendary communist-era priest, Father Blachnicki, was murdered, Polish authorities confirm
  • Do not be afraid to be a witness to God’s love, pope says

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED