One week after the John Jay Report issued its conclusions about the causes of sex abuse among the clergy, the Diocese of Brooklyn could take consolation in the fact that it already had put into place many of the recommendations of the report.
A line-up of guests appeared on the talk shows produced by The NET, the diocesan cable television system, to explain what they thought of the report and how the work of the diocese to protect young people would continue.
Rhonnie Jaus, the head of the Kings County sex crimes unit, appearing on Currents, explained how D.A. Joe Hynes’ office has been working with the diocese since 2002 when the scope of the abuse crisis in the church became apparent.
Each accusation received on the special hotline to report abuse is forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office. Since 2002, there have been 123 complaints involving 79 individuals, most of which extended beyond the legal statute of limitations and therefore could not be prosecuted.
Fives cases involving priests in Brooklyn have gone to court. Three plead guilty; one was acquitted; and one was convicted after a trial.
Sixty of those accused (over the last 60 years) were priests, six were brothers, one nun, seven non-priests but church affiliated and five involved unnamed subjects.
Jaus said that the diocese has been very forthcoming with information requested of it and that she has not had one complaint from victims in cases in which she has been involved that the diocese was covering up any allegations.
Bernard Helldorfer, chairman of the diocesan Review Board, said his panel receives notice about every complaint about sex abuse that comes to the attention of diocesan officials. An investigation begins, whether the charges fall within or outside of the legal statute of limitations.
Prof. Helldorfer said that the John Jay Report “confirms what we had come to know.” Namely that there was no one particular cause of the crisis; it mostly occurred during the 1960s and 1970s; and the general turmoil in the society of those times was a contributing factor.
The victims and survivors of sexual abuse have a friend in Sister Ellen Patricia Finn, O.P., the diocese’s advocate to assist victims. She reaches out to everyone who files a complaint and offers practical assistance and counseling. She also leads a team of professionals who speak to the affected parish communities and offer counseling.
Dr. Joanne Heany Hunter, a theology professor at St. John’s University, is a member of the Diocesan Review Board. She appeared with Sister Ellen Patricia on Currents and expressed her pride at how each case is given the full attention of the board.
Msgr. Kieran Harrington, the diocesan spokesman, said that the diocese has learned a lot about the sexual abuse of young people and that it has put into place programs to assure that every possible impediment to future abuse is in place.
He explains that all diocesan employees and volunteers undergo background checks and must attend a VIRTUS program to educate themselves about such abuse.
Catholic school children also are educated about the problem through the School Lures program.
The clergy sex abuse scandal has done great damage to the Church, and in particular, the image of the priesthood. If any good can be said to have come out of it, it is that the church community has a greater awareness of the problems of sexual abuse in society and it is taking every possible measure that it is never perpetrated again by a member of the clergy or any church worker.