By Pamela Walsh
In 2019 Archbishop Don tasked a group of individuals, including a victim, to review, renew and revise the existing 2013 clergy sexual abuse policy. After an extensive review and robust discussions, it was clear the existing 2013 policy was more hurtful than helpful to victims. It needed to be set aside, and a new policy created. This resulted in a stand-alone policy on clergy sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable persons by clergy or persons in a religious order. It would mean that a new policy on serious pastoral misconduct would need to be written at a later date.
The new policy has taken some bold new steps, including two sections directed and focused on engaging the reporting person, the implementation of a confidential phone number and email address to reach the delegate, and having choices for how people might report and the option to work with a female layperson if that was preferred. Creating an active lay review board that would be utilized to review findings of the delegate with the ability to ask questions, request further information, and make recommendations directly to the bishop. The reviews would have any identifying information of either the reporting person, victim, and abuser redacted out. A very notable change was for the diocese to hire a professional counselor that was trained in trauma to be available free of charge to victims/survivors of clergy sexual abuse one day a week. Altogether this led to a dynamic policy rooted in positive change and moving away from the protectionism of the church that was apparent in previous policies to being user and victim-friendly.
An eco-friendly decision was made to move away from mass policy production to a completely digital format. A dedicated place on the diocese website resulted in 24-hour easy access in order to download, read or print the document. Revisions normally would take place every three years or, sometimes longer. Such revisions were labour intensive and wasted a great deal of paper. The digital format made revisions efficient, simple, easy to track, resulting in semi-annual reviews/revisions. On September 21, 2019, the policy was promulgated and was the topic in a breakout session at the appeal launch. Since then, there have been some revisions, with the most recent taking place on May 6, 2021. Another revision is slated to occur before the end of 2021.
One question arose regarding visibility now that the policy was digital. Through discussions, the idea of a brochure that would help alert people to the policy and help them navigate in a shortened and direct way was born. Each part of the brochure process involved consultation with victims, from brochure wording and content, to the style and the final product. A dynamic fact-filled brochure has been created. In it, you will find policy information and who is available to contact, and their information.
In creating the brochure, there was an awareness that many parishes don’t have access to colour printing capabilities. Fonts, symbols, and styles were picked to ensure that the brochure looked great in either colour or black and white. Staying with the eco-friendly theme, parishes have been asked only to print a few copies and to put them in a visible area and replenished as needed. Please take the time to check out the new brochure.
Download the brochure HERE
Read full text of the brochure HERE
