Office of Child Protection

A Pennsylvania grand jury reviewed the files of six dioceses in that state and found that 300 priests had been accused of committing child sexual abuse over the previous seven decades and that some bishops failed to report the abuse to police or to remove the accused priests from ministry permanently.

Of the 300 priests described as abusers in the recently released Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report, two have been accused of abuse within the past 10 years. All of the other cases are decades old. Approximately half of the 300 priests are deceased, and the remaining priests are not in ministry. Based on these facts, there is good reason to believe that the comprehensive reforms and uniform child protection procedures developed by the United States bishops in the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, along with much greater societal awareness and commitment to preventing child abuse, are having a significant impact and have led to drastic reductions in new allegations of abuse in the Church...

The following are elements of the process of addressing allegations of sexual abuse by clergy:

• We immediately report all allegations to legal authorities.
• The Diocese cooperates fully with any law enforcement investigation. 
• We forward all allegations to the diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator so that outreach to the alleged victim can be offered.
• After a prompt internal initial investigation...

The clergy personnel files were previously independently reviewed in 2003 and 2011. Based on those audits, it is certain that no cleric with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is serving in ministry in our diocese. In September 2018, Bishop Burbidge commissioned a new, thorough review of the files of all priests and deacons who have ever served in our diocese, including those who are deceased or no longer serving here, to ensure that any past credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor are known. This review was conducted independently by two former FBI investigators who were given access to all personnel files related to clergy.
 
At the completion of the work of the independent investigators, a list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the Diocese was published on February 13, 2019. (No deacons were found credibly accused by the Diocesan Review Board.)
 
The list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor can be found here: ArlingtonDiocese.org/ClergySexualAbuse.

The names and cases published on February 13, 2019 were considered by the Diocesan Review Board with all available documentation following a thorough review by third-party, former FBI personnel. The Diocesan Review Board then gave its recommendation that those names be published. Bishop Burbidge accepted their recommendation.
 
Priests on that list were accused of sexual abuse of a child, and meet at least one of the following criteria:
 
- The accused admitted guilt;
- There has been a determination of guilt in a criminal court, civil court or by an ecclesiastical process;
- The Arlington or Richmond Diocesan Review Board found the allegation to be credible. 

The Diocese’s child protection policy defines a “credible accusation” as “an allegation that, based upon the facts of the case, meets one or more of the following thresholds: (a) believable and plausible; (b) natural, reasonable and probable; (c) corroborated with other evidence or another source; and/or (d) acknowledged/admitted to by the accused.” In effect, this requires a determination that, based upon the available evidence, the allegation is believed to be more likely to be true than not true by a majority of the members of the Board. It should be noted that a Review Board determination is not the equivalent of a civil or criminal court finding.

The clergy personnel files were previously independently reviewed in 2003 and 2011. Based on those audits, it is certain that no cleric with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is serving in ministry in our diocese. 

In September 2018, Bishop Burbidge commissioned a new, thorough review of the files of all priests and deacons who have ever served in our diocese, including those who are deceased or no longer serving here, to ensure that any past credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor are known. This review is being conducted independently by two former FBI investigators who are given access to all personnel files related to clergy. 

At the completion of the work of the independent investigators, a comprehensive list of any priests and deacons credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor will be published. To give the investigators the time needed to be thorough and complete all work, no date has been established for when the list will be published. Bishop Burbidge hopes this public list will encourage other victims to come forward and will help bring healing to victims who have come forward already and told their stories.

In 2002, the U.S. Bishops issued the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (www.usccb.org/ocyp/charter.htm) as a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. Based upon this Charter, the Diocese of Arlington updated its child protection policy in 2003. A further update of this policy, to incorporate the latest advancements in best practices and to reflect experience under the prior policy, is currently underway. In addition, the Diocese has published Codes of Conduct for clergy and lay people who work with children. These were initially published in 2004 and were updated in 2012.

In 1991, the Diocese instituted its Policy on the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and/or Child Abuse in an effort to prevent possible sexual misconduct and/or child abuse by personnel of the Diocese. This policy was updated in 1995 and 2000, and the current policy was adopted in 2003 and underwent a small revision in 2004. These policies have always applied to all diocesan staff, clergy and volunteers who have substantial contact with minors.

All clergy and employees of diocesan offices, parishes, parish and diocesan schools, ministries and charities — regardless of their contact with children — must undergo a background check that includes fingerprinting. Additionally, any volunteer with substantial contact with children must undergo a background check.

Through the diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Diocese conducts Safe Environment training seminars on methods of preventing, recognizing and reporting child abuse and sexual misconduct. All clerics, employees and volunteers who have substantial contact with minors of the Diocese, parishes, schools, missions or other institutions must attend these seminars within 45 days of submitting their completed background check.

Additional information about adult Safe Environment training in the Diocese of Arlington can be found on our VIRTUS: Protecting God's Children for Adults Training webpage.

If the alleged perpetrator is an employee of the Diocese, the employee shall be placed on administrative leave. Volunteers will be relieved of their volunteer positions. If an allegation of child abuse or illegal sexual misconduct by an employee is found to be credible, he or she shall be immediately terminated from employment and may also face criminal charges.

Our diocese is audited annually by Stonebridge Business Partners of Rochester, N.Y., to ensure we are compliant with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. This audit looks at our practices and procedures for background checks, Safe Environment training and reporting. We have been found compliant each year since 2004.

When an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is received, lay people are involved in each step of the process, including reporting the allegation to law enforcement, conducting the diocesan investigation and reaching out with assistance to the individual making the allegation.

In addition, based on the national charter approved in 2002, all dioceses are to have a review board that functions as a confidential consultative body to the Bishop. This board assesses allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy and review diocesan policies and procedures for dealing with sexual abuse of minors... 

No. We have consistently followed the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People issued in 2002, which states that no cleric may serve in ministry following a credible allegation of sexual abuse against a minor.

If an allegation of child sexual abuse against a priest is found to be credible, he will not return to ministry. Such individuals may also face criminal prosecution. 

The ordination of a priest binds him and his bishop in a special relationship, which normally continues for the entirety of a man’s service. Therefore, the Bishop, while ensuring a priest is never again put in a position in which he could harm a child, is canonically responsible to work for his rehabilitation, if that is possible, and to provide for his basic needs. However, in some circumstances, based on the gravity of the priest’s actions, the relationship between a priest and bishop can be severed. This process is called “laicization” and results in restoring a man to the lay state.

If allegations against a priest are found not to be credible by both the civil authorities and the diocesan Review Board, and if there are no other impediments to his ability to serve, then the priest is restored to full ministry and actions are taken that will attempt to restore his good name.

Each diocese operates independently. No diocese is held financially responsible for debts of another diocese. 

As a standard practice since the early 1990s, the Diocese of Arlington has included sexual misconduct insurance among its array of insurance coverages to help protect the donations made to the Diocese for ministry and charitable works.

Over its 44-year history, the Diocese has paid approximately $110,000 from insurance funds in settlements of claims of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.

No. Funds provided for the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal, disaster relief, Catholic Charities, etc. are used for the purposes for which they are given and not in relation to claims of sexual abuse of minors. The Diocese has insurance policies in place to protect donor funds from lawsuits and/or claims.

The Diocese has had an extensive program to assist victims of sexual abuse. Since 2003, roughly $750,000 has been spent on therapy and essential needs for victims of sexual abuse, averaging $40,618 per year over the last 15 years. In addition to direct assistance to victims, the Diocese has spent $2.1 million on the Victim Assistance Program over 16 years. 

Most of those served by diocesan counseling services or referrals were not abused by clergy of this diocese, and many others were not abused by anyone associated with the Church... 

On episode 15 of the Walk Humbly Podcast, Bishop Burbidge stated:

“…I've been involved in seminary work for much of my priesthood and since I've been ordained a bishop. And, I have to say, I have great confidence in our seminaries right now. There is really an atmosphere of transparency. …the atmosphere's much different than when I was a seminarian. It was just a different time, a different culture, you had rules to follow, you did it, and there wasn't much discussion...

The Holy See has long held that men with "deeply rooted homosexual tendencies" or who are sexually active, regardless of sexual orientation, cannot be ordained to the priesthood. It was reported in the news media that, during a meeting with Italian bishops, Pope Francis has recently spoken about this issue directly and upheld this practice of the Church.

In the 2016 edition of the Congregation for Clergy’s ratio on priestly formation, the dicastery wrote: “In relation to people with homosexual tendencies who approach seminaries, or who discover this situation in the course of formation, in coherence with her own magisterium, ‘the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture.’”

The Diocese of Arlington follows the Holy See’s teaching on this issue. 

The Diocese of Arlington’s seminarians study at five seminaries in the United States, Spain and Italy. Bishop Burbidge and the diocesan Director of Vocations maintain a very open dialogue with each seminarian. The Bishop annually visits each seminary, meets with each man and works closely with the leadership of each seminary. 

Bishop Burbidge has confidence in the way each seminary is run based on his own examination of their practices to ensure adequate safeguards for each man.

During this time, it is easy to feel helpless, but there are many things we can do as Catholics that are productive. 

First, know that there is no priest serving in our diocese with a credible allegation of abuse against him. Please pray for our priests, especially your parish priests, and offer encouragement to them, as they are saddened and angered by the tragic and evil actions of some priests and by Church leaders who failed to protect those under their care... 

The Diocesan Review Board accesses allegations of sexual abuse of minors and regularly review diocesan policies and procedures for dealing with sexual abuse of minors. The membership of the Review Board is publicly available and is comprised of mostly lay people who are professionals in the areas of psychiatry, social services, law, education, etc.

In 1991, the Diocese of Arlington instituted its Policy on the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and/or Child Abuse. The policy described the purpose as follows: “The policy is intended to establish requirements and procedures in an effort to prevent possible sexual misconduct and/or child abuse by personnel of the diocese and the resulting harm to others, while the work of the diocese is being performed, and to provide guidance to the diocesan personnel on how to respond to actual and/or suspected incidents of sexual misconduct and/or child abuse by personnel of the diocese.” It applied to all diocesan staff, clergy and volunteers.

In 2002, the U.S. Bishops issued the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which is a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. It also established guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability, and prevention of future acts of abuse that all staff and volunteers are held strictly accountable to. It has been revised 3 times (2005, 2011, and 2018) in order to account for the latest advancements in best practices. 

For more information on the Charter, CLICK HERE. 

According to the Diocese of Arlington's Policy on the Protection of Children/Young People and the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and/or Child Abuse, all employees of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington--all direct employees of any parish, diocesan school or diocesan office--regardless of contact with children must complete a background check.  Additionally, any volunteer with ministry with substantial contact with children must complete a background check.  However, background checks alone are not sufficient for compliance with the policy.

Additional information about the background check process of the Diocese of Arlington can be found on our Background Checks page.

According to the Diocese of Arlington's Policy on the Protection of Children/Young People and the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and/or Child Abuse, all employees of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington--all direct employees of any parish, diocesan school or diocesan office--regardless of contact with children must attend safe environment training.  Additionally, any volunteer with ministry with "substantial contact" with children must attend safe environment training.  However, training attendance alone is not sufficient for compliance with the policy.

Additional information about adult safe environment training in the Diocese of Arlington can be found on our VIRTUS: Protecting God's Children for Adults Training page.

If you are required to comply with the Policy, background check paperwork must be submitted to the Office of Child Protection prior to the start of employment or volunteer ministry.  The required training must be completed within 45 days of the start of your service.