Denver Catholic

13 DENVER CATHOLIC | SEPTEMBER 22-OCTOBER 12, 2018 issues in the archdiocese. This was a decade before that concept became the normal procedure, after the Char- ter was adopted by the bishops in the United States in 2002. Cardinal Staf- ford employed an approach of "zero tol- erance." He met with law enforcement and acknowledged his cooperation and openness from the outset. The archdi- ocese had credibility in every step it took along this road. This good work continued with Archbishop Chaput and it now continues with Archbishop Aquila, who was on Cardinal Sta„ ord's sta„ in the '80s and '90s. There has been a demonstrated e„ ort to protect chil- dren as the primary mission of these churchmen and their sta„ s. DC: You went to Pennsylvania to help Archbishop Chaput in 2011, have worked there regularly, and are familiar with the Pennsylva- nia Grand Jury Report. Can you share any observations about that situation? SB: The report came as a great sadness to me. I had hoped we were starting to put this chapter of the Church behind it. To read those details, to know there are those historic victims of this prob- lem, is devastating. It is hard to read, but studying that document is import- ant for me to do, as a parent and as a professional. My focus as a professional when I study the report is an urgency to know if children are in danger. As I talk to people, there is a misperception that the scale of the abuse in the current Church is enormous. The media broadcasts the sensational headline of 300 priest abus- ers, but that is not the current situation. It is notable that there have not been any indictments of priests based on the report. This tells me that the abuse described in the report occurred in the past, otherwise the Pennsylvania Attor- ney General would have immediately indicted hundreds of priests. As we all know, that did not happen. As I studied the report, it became clear that very few of the abuse inci- dents detailed in the report occurred after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted the Charter in 2002. While the incidents in the last 16 years should not be diminished in the slight- est — any abuse is abhorrent — it is important to understand that the vast majority of the claims addressed in the report occurred decades ago in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. For instance, the report references a victim who alleges that he was abused in the 1930s, but he fi rst reported the abuse in 2008. I worked through the hundreds of pages attempting to count and under- stand how many of the cases involved abuse occurring after 2002. The details in the report are often vague, but it is apparent that approximately 20 of the cases are after 2002. I represent pri- vate schools, charter schools and board- ing schools. One statistic that I know from that work is that in Pennsylvania since 2002 there have been hundreds of public school teachers accused of wrongdoing. There were dozens of teachers accused in 2018 alone. From my perspective, the true scale of the problem in the Catholic Church is not being accurately described right now. I think there is a practical need to focus on what should be the highest priority — determining if children are at risk now. The report does not take on that question. As hard as it is to say, we can't assume that sexual abuse can be eradicated. I have heard victims' advocates and social workers in this area explain that one in fi ve women and one in ten men have experienced sexual assault in their lifetime. Abusers are in all parts of our lives and there will con- tinue to be incidents, but the key is for institutions to adopt a zero-tolerance policy and enforce it, to report to and cooperate with law enforcement, and to actively create safe environments. I was not involved in this legal work when the past problems of the Church occurred, but I can tell you from my work over the last two decades that the Church today is not the Church described in those terrible historic accounts in the report. The Church's action to atone for the past has to be continuing to help victims, and the Church must work to be the best insti- tution at protecting children. What I do know from working in dioceses nation- wide, working with religious, working with secular schools and many secular youth-serving organizations, is that the Church is now a leader in its work to protect children. After 100 years of service to the Archdiocese of Denver, our Cathedral is in need of some vital repairs. Thank you for your generosity! Visit denvercathedral.org call us at 303-831-7010 or email us at CBIC2016@ denvercathedral.org for more information A RESTORATION FOR THE AGES All donations are tax deductible "Our historic and iconic Cathedral Basilica needs your help." Father Ron Cattany Pastor and Rector North, East and West Façade Repair $2 Million Leaking Flat Roof Repairs $50,000 East Door Handi- capped Access $50,000 Colfax Facade $4.5 Million Total: • Cathedral Savings and Restoration Fund $2.92 Million • Pledges & Gifts $1,072,780.44 EXTERIOR PRESERVATION 2021 Consecration Jubilee Trust Fund $5Million Clean Kimball Organ $100,000 Clean Altars $100,000 Carpet Cathedral $45,000 Paint Interior $750,000 INTERIOR RENOVATION Lower Level Bathrooms and Lift: • $350,000 from savings Sanctuary Handrails and Votive Candles: • Gifts & Pledges $46,639 25 th Annual Saturday, October 6, 2018 Sheraton Denver Downtown 1550 Court Place | Denver, CO 80202 Proceeds benefit the lives and ministries of the Capuchin Franciscans Buy Your Tickets Today! Visit BrownRobe.com or call 303.477.5436 5:30 pm - Cocktails | Silent Auction 7:00 pm - Dinner | Program | Live Auction 9:30 pm - Music | Dancing Entertainment Provided by the Jerry Barnette Experience Hosted by - Adele Arakawa Keynote Speaker - Fr. John Lager, OFM Cap. th Annual Fr. John Lager, OFM Cap. What I do know from working in dioceses nationwide, working with religious, working with secular schools and many secular youth-serving organizations, is that the Church is now a leader in its work to protect children. SCOTT BROWNING "

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