McKnight calls for “resolute action” in response to abuse crisis

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CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TEXT OF BISHOP MCKNIGHT’S NOV. 8 STATEMENT.

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight is challenging fellow bishops throughout the United States to join him in applying renewed urgency, transparency and compassion to addressing the past abuse of minors by clergy and to preventing it from happening again.

“We must do much more than make new promises or rely only on more prayer and penance,” he asserted in a Nov. 8 statement. “Resolute action that manifests a true, firm purpose of amendment by the U.S. hierarchy is necessary.”

That same day, he released to the public the names of the 33 priests and religious brothers who have been credibly accused and/or removed from ministry in the diocese since its founding in 1956, as well as the amount of money spent on settlements, legal fees and other costs associated with the abuse crisis.

He insisted that preferential care must be extended to all survivors of sexual abuse by clergy.

“As your bishop, I pledge to put the care of victims, their loved ones and their communities first and foremost,” he said.

He accompanied all of this with a renewed plea for people who have been harmed by an agent of the Church to come forward and tell their story.

“One of the goals and the purposes of revealing the names of credibly accused clergy and religious is the hope of finding other victims who have not come forward, for healing,” he said. “That’s my ultimate concern.”

He pointed out that there have been no credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor made against any clergy or religious now serving in the Diocese of Jefferson City.

“The definition of credible, which I apply and which I have asked our diocesan Review Board to apply, is whether based on the available information, an allegation of abuse is more likely true than not true,” he said.

He has also informed the superiors of religious communities of priests in the diocese that effective Jan. 1, 2020, any religious community must commit to releasing the names of all their credibly accused members in order to continue serving here.

He said the Church and its people, especially its leaders, must insist on creating a safe environment for children and other vulnerable people.

“Today, there can be no more secrets in our diocese,” he told members of the media and the diocesan Chancery staff at an afternoon press conference in the Alphonse J. Schwartze Memorial Catholic Center.

“We can only be a holy people, a people who are better together, if we have confidence in our priests and if you trust me as your shepherd,” he said.

“Much higher standard”

Shortly after his installation as bishop on Feb. 6, Bishop McKnight summoned a group of former FBI and law-enforcement officials to conduct an independent review of the personnel files of all the living priests, deacons and seminarians in the diocese.

They confirmed that no clergy member with any credible allegations of abuse is currently serving in the diocese, he said.

In August, he volunteered to cooperate fully with Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley’s investigation into the sexual abuse of minors by clergy, following the release of a grand jury report in Pennsylvania.

Bishop McKnight stated at that time that the attorney general and his staff would be looking only for evidence of criminal activity, while his own independent review also took into account non-criminal violations of the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

“The Church holds a much higher standard for those who serve its people holding a sacred trust,” the bishop said in his Nov. 8 statement. “The solemn vows we take when we are ordained or enter religious life call us to higher standards of conduct.”

The Charter, approved by the U.S. Catholic bishops in 2002, provides consistent, verifiable norms for ensuring that all of the Church’s environments are safe for children and others who are vulnerable.

Bishop McKnight said the diocese will continue to cooperate with Mr. Hawley, who has now been elected to the U.S. Senate, and whoever succeeds him as attorney general.

Bishop McKnight also noted that since he urged victims of sexual abuse by clergy to come forward two months ago, 18 people have brought forth new allegations.

“All of them are historical,” he said. “That is, the incidents of abuse are alleged to have occurred decades ago.”

He said some of the investigations into those recent allegations are ongoing.

“We are moving forward as compassionately and quickly as possible,” he stated. “If and when credible allegations are determined, the list will be updated.”

He said he’s concerned that more people are not coming forward because they are afraid that they won’t be believed.

“Our ultimate goal is to look out for the lost sheep — those who have not been taken care of and to let them know that they have a Church that hears and wants to care for them,” he said.

No credibly accused in ministry

Bishop McKnight said the list of 33 names includes priests and religious brothers of whom the diocesan bishop has found credible violations of the Charter, or has deemed unsuitable for ministry out of concern for the safety of children.

He noted that the most recent reported case of physical sexual abuse by clergy in the diocese occurred in 1997.

Since then, there have been two credible allegations of violations of the Charter, one involving inappropriate use of social media, and the other involving Internet pornography depicting minors.

He noted that all who were credibly accused have been removed from ministry.

Some have been returned to the lay state. One is in prison. About half of the rest are deceased.

None of those who are living have faculties to function as a priest.

Most do not receive any support from the diocese, except for those who qualified to receive retirement benefits.

“One case is too many”

Bishop McKnight believes ongoing efforts to train people in understanding the signs of grooming and predatory behavior, as well as higher standards of admission and formation of priests for the diocese, are helping.

“But I cannot emphasize enough that one case of abuse is one too many,” he said. “We cannot become complacent about how important this is for our families and our Church.”

He reported that since July 1, 2003, $4.7 million has been spent on the fallout of abuse, with an estimated $1.5 million having been spent in the years prior to that.

That includes approximately $2.3 million for the care of survivors, and about $300,000 toward legal fees.

This money came from generous contributors to the diocese’s Community Reconciliation Fund, as well as proceeds from the sale of the former St. Thomas Seminary property in Hannibal, religious orders, and insurance.

Approximately $2.1 million was spent on the care of credibly accused and/or removed diocesan priests, with $1.8 million coming from the diocesan infirm priest fund and $300,000 from the Community Reconciliation Fund.

The Charter prescribes that those clergy who have harmed people by sexual abuse should live lives of prayer and penance.

“Our support of them must be done in the context of minimal sustenance,” the bishop explained.

He emphasized that “we have not used any money donated in parish offertory collections or to the diocesan annual appeal for the care of survivors or legal fees.”

“Opportunity  for healing”

Bishop McKnight set forth his deepest apologies to those who have been abused by clergy and religious.

“I also offer my condolences to them, their families, friends and communities,” he said.

He talked about the recently expanded Diocesan Review Board, which is charged with advising him on handling any allegations of abuse by a clergy member.

The 25-member group includes mostly laypeople from a broad array of relevant backgrounds, including law-enforcement, the judiciary and the legal profession, medicine, counseling and education.

He renewed his appeal for all lay people, priests and deacons of the diocese to help him address this terrible crisis.

“Although the incidents are in the past, the pain caused is still a present reality for the survivors of abuse and their loved ones,” he said. “I pray this effort on our part provides some small measure of hope and opens an opportunity for healing to those immediately harmed by sexual abuse.”

No more cover-ups

Heading into this week’s fall meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop McKnight said, “I will encourage my brother bishops to be completely transparent, to hold ourselves accountable.”

He said he will support proposals to ensure increased accountability for bishops for their own behavior and what they allow to take place in their dioceses.

“I think we have to really commit that we are not going to participate in any kind of cover-up — whether it’s people  under our responsibility, people that we work with in terms of our brother bishops, or anybody above us as well,” he said.

“The Church’s communion demands that we have that zero tolerance by everyone,” he added.

He said he takes very seriously his responsibility as bishop of the people in central and northeastern Missouri.

“My vocation is a call to serve you, the people of God,” he said. “I know the only way through this tragedy of ours must be taken with the active engagement of the entire Church.”

He encouraged anyone who has been abused by a priest or religious brother or sister to report it to law enforcement and to Nancy Hoey, the diocese’s victims assistance coordinator.

She can be reached at (573) 694-3199 or at reportabuse@diojeffcity.org.

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