Diocese of
Charleston, South Carolina
The Diocese of Charleston (“the Diocese”), established in 1820, encompasses the state of South Carolina, covering 31,111 square miles, and serves a Catholic population of 148,116 parishioners. The Diocese is made up of 93 parishes, 25 missions, and 10 pastoral centers. There are 113 active diocesan priests and 103 permanent deacons. The Diocese has 25 elementary schools and four high schools. The Most Reverend Robert J. Baker has led the Diocese as bishop since September 1999. A compliance audit was conduct during the period of August 25-29, 2003.

Findings

To Promote Healing and Reconciliation
The Diocese of Charleston has had an established prevention policy since 1994, revised in 1997 and again in August 2003. Comprehensive outreach has been extended to all accusers, their families, and offenders. The Diocese was commended for the use of its pastoral team to reach out to victims/survivors and faith communities to enhance healing and reconciliation. The bishop, or his designee, has met or offered to meet with victims/survivors and their families. Louisa Storen, the victim assistance minister, is a licensed, independent social worker. A nine-member sexual abuse advisory board comprises at least a licensed certified psychiatrist or psychologist, a licensed social worker, an attorney, and an educator, among others, and provides expert counsel to the Diocese. Educational sessions on reporting allegations of sexual abuse are held four times a year. The Diocese was commended for implementing and circulating an easy-to-use flowchart that describes and simplifies the step-by-step actions to be taken, from the receipt of an allegation through the subsequent processes. The Diocese has not entered into any confidentiality agreement since June 2002.

To Guarantee Effective Response to Allegations of Abuse of a Minor
The bishop is cooperating with civil and public authorities in regard to the voluntary and mandatory reporting of all incidents of sexual abuse of minors. The Diocese has clearly identified and documented each incident of abuse reported within the audit period. The Diocese maintains direct liaison with the county solicitors through its diocesan attorney and investigator. The Diocese has established a clear and well-publicized code of conduct for priests and deacons, which clergy are required to read and with which they must agree to comply. The Diocese has a demonstrated commitment to a communications policy of transparency and openness. The Diocese has a pastoral team of experienced staff, including the victim assistance minister, who visit parishes directly affected by clergy misconduct.

To Ensure Accountability of Procedures
The Diocese has participated in the research study regarding the “nature and scope” of the problem of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy.

To Protect the Faithful in the Future
Required safe environment training is held annually for all church personnel. Every employee must attend the training at least once every three years and within 12 months of his or her hire date. Education sessions are held through the Diocese four times a year. The Diocese was commended for its exceptional safe environment program. The Diocese has established a thorough and systematic background screening process. The Diocese also coordinates screening information with the Department of Social Services and the State Law Enforcement Division. Screening and evaluation protocols are employed to consider the fitness of candidates for ordination. No member of the clergy against whom a credible allegation of sexual misconduct has been reported has been transferred or moved outside the Diocese either for ministerial or residency purposes. The bishop has met with one major superior and has scheduled a meeting in fall 2003 with all of the other superiors of men to coordinate roles of the Diocese in the event of an allegation of sexual abuse by clergy. The diocese is cooperating with a local child abuse prevention organization as well as with two Protestant churches. The Diocese has an ongoing formation program for priests.

Compliance with the Provisions of the Charter

At the conclusion of this audit, the Diocese of Charleston was found to be compliant with the pro-visions of the Charter as measured by the process described in Chapter 2 in Section I. The Diocese was issued three Commendations.

COMMENDATION 1—For drafting and circulating and easy-to-use flow chart that describes and simplifies the step-by-step actions to be taken upon the receipt of an allegation and through the subsequent processes.

COMMENDATION 2—For the exceptional safe environment training program.

COMMENDATION 3—For the Diocese’s use of the pastoral team to reach out to victims/survivors and faith communities to enhance healing and reconciliation.


The compliance audit measured activity that has occurred since the adoption of the Charter in June 2002 with the exception of certain mandated actions found in Articles 5 and 14. Actions taken by the diocese/eparchy prior to June 2002 to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests and deacons are not included in this summary report.




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Office of Child and Youth Protection
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194
(202) 541-5413 | FAX: (202) 541-5410
Email: ocyp@usccb.org