Diocese of
Jefferson City, Missouri
The Diocese of Jefferson City (“the Diocese”), which was founded on July 2, 1956, encompasses 38 counties in central and northern Missouri. It consists of 95 parishes and 15 missions, 87 diocesan priests, 67 deacons, and 39 schools, and it serves a population of 86,336 registered Catholics. The Most Reverend John R. Gaydos, who was installed as bishop on June 25, 1997, leads the Diocese. A compliance audit of the Diocese was conducted during the period of August 18-21, 2003.

The information found herein represents conditions as they were found to exist during the week of the audit.

Findings

To Promote Healing and Reconciliation
The Diocese has had a longstanding outreach program in place that was updated on May 31, 2003. Offers to meet with the bishop, or his designee, are made to every victim of abuse and/or family members. Sr. Ethel-Marie Biri is the victim assistance coordinator and also serves as the chancellor of the Diocese. She has received pertinent training and possesses the needed background for this task. The diocesan review board consists of 30 members with experience in psychology, medicine, law enforcement, education, civil and canon law, and pastoral ministry. Teams of three to four people are selected by the board coordinator to review a specific allegation and to make recommendations to the bishop. The procedures for making a complaint of abuse are readily available in printed form and have been the subject of numerous announcements. There have been no confidentiality agreements entered into by the Diocese since June 2002.

To Guarantee Effective Response to Allegations of Abuse of a Minor
It is the policy of the Diocese to fully comply with state law in matters of reporting allegations of sexual abuse by members of the clergy and to cooperate with any ensuing investigation. The Diocese has a procedure in place to advise victims/survivors of their right to report allegations of abuse by a cleric to civil authorities. The Diocese has established a clear and well-publicized code of conduct for priests and deacons. The bishop’s position is to be open and forthright in his communications to the media and others regarding matters of sexual abuse of children while at the same time protecting those areas of confidentiality.

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
The Diocese has selected and implemented a safe environment program and is currently using the VIRTUS program in support of its training. To date, 96 percent of the Diocese’s employees have completed the training, as well as 800 volunteers. Additional training sessions were scheduled through the middle of October 2003. A model code of pastoral conduct was sent to all diocesan personnel, employees, and volunteers on June 19, 2003. The Diocese has a longstanding policy that calls for background checks on all employees, including volunteers who have regular contact with children, ministers, and priests. Services of private firms and public agencies are utilized to accomplish these background investigations. The Diocese has not transferred any member of the clergy who has had a credible allegation of sexual abuse lodged against him to another ministerial assignment, although six priests have, on their own accord, taken up residences in other dioceses or eparchies for residency purposes. In those cases, the local bishop was appropriately notified of location, circumstances, and restrictions of these clergy. The Diocese employs effective screening and evaluation techniques in deciding the fitness of candidates for ordination. There are no religious institutes in the Diocese; however, the Diocese requires letters of certification for clergy from religious orders working in the Diocese. The Diocese has participated in conferences concerning sexual abuse of minors sponsored by the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute located at St. John’s University in Minnesota. The Diocese has a systematic, ongoing formation program in keeping with the Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests (2001).¹

Compliance with the Provisions of the Charter

At the conclusion of this audit, the Diocese of Jefferson City was found to be in compliance with the provisions of the Charter as measured by the process described in Chapter 2 in Section I.

Note

1. USCCB, Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2001).

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