US Catholic Church spent $43 million last year to stop abuse

Friday, March 6th, 2015

Last year, the Catholic Church in the United States spent US$43million on child abuse prevention and education.

The figure was mentioned by priest psychologist Msgr Stephen Rossetti at a conference on safeguarding children in Ireland last month.

Msgr Rossetti is a professor at The Catholic University of America and a visiting professor at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University.

He told the Catholic News Service that secular organisations and other churches in the United States are coming to the Catholic Church to learn from its policies.

Over time, more than 5.2 million adults and children have gone through the safe environment training in the United States, and more than 3 million priests, lay employees and volunteers have gone through background checks, he said.

Msgr Rossetti told participants at the conference: “Good response policies are important. But the heart of the matter is education — stopping abuse before it occurs.”

He noted that victims standing up and telling their stories has been the decisive factor in turning the tide.

He highlighted that in the United States, child abuse rates are dropping throughout society and the Church.

“At the recorded height, the John Jay Study said 4 percent of clergy were involved as perpetrators,” the Monsignor said.

“That number has fallen to less than 1 percent. We have turned the corner, but we shall not rest until the number of abused children is zero,” he added.

Last year, Pope Francis was quoted by an Italian newspaper as saying that about 2 per cent of Catholic clergy are paedophiles.

The Pope has set up a Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Dublin Archbishop Eamon Martin, president of the Irish bishops’ conference, warned the conference against becoming “safeguarding-weary” or complacent.

He said the legacy of betrayal, trauma and shame that clerical abuse has left in its wake must never been forgotten.

Four Irish bishops have resigned following severe criticism of their failures in relation to handling allegations of abuse.

Sources