Diocese of
Santa Rosa, California
The Diocese of Santa Rosa (“the Diocese”), which was established in 1962, encompasses six counties in northwestern California. It consists of 42 parishes and 20 missions, 87 diocesan priests, 38 deacons, and 13 schools, and it serves a population of 151,218 registered Catholics. The Most Reverend Daniel F. Walsh, who was installed as bishop in 2000, leads the Diocese. A compliance audit of the Diocese was conducted during the period of October 6-9, 2003.

The information found herein represents conditions as they were found to exist during the week of the audit. Information regarding the recommended actions taken by the Diocese subsequent to the audit will be found in the last paragraph.

Findings

To Promote Healing and Reconciliation
The Diocese has an outreach program that has provisions for counseling, spiritual assistance, and other services as necessary. It was recommended that critical documents and training be made available in Spanish. The bishop has met or offered to meet with victims/survivors of abuse in the Diocese who have reported the abuse since June 2002. The victim assistance coordinator is Julie Sparacio, who is well qualified and fully committed to the task. The current diocesan review board was established in March 2003 and includes two psychologists, a therapist, a retired judge, an attorney, a retired social worker, a victim’s parent, a retired insurance consultant, the diocesan promoter of justice, and the vicar general. Since 2000, the diocese has had an active sensitive issues committee, which assists the bishop with issues including the protection of children. That committee was modified to conform to the Charter in March 2003. The procedures for making a complaint of abuse are readily available in printed form, appearing on the diocesan website in both English and Spanish. It was recommended that more linguistically and culturally appropriate materials and training be introduced into the outreach and safe environment programs. 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
The Diocese has established liaison with civil authorities and helped formulate the “California Model Protocol for District Attorneys’ Offices and Dioceses Relative to Child Abuse Allegations.” There is a procedure in place for the Diocese to advise victims/survivors of their right to make a report to public authorities. The Diocese has established a clear and well-publicized code of conduct for priests and deacons. The established communications policy reflects the bishop’s pledge to be open and transparent regarding the sexual abuse of children and youth.

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
A safe environment program for adults has been developed and is being implemented in English and Spanish. It was recommended that the implementation of this program be expedited. The Diocese has published standards of conduct for priests and deacons, as well as diocesan employees, volunteers, and other church persons in positions of trust who have regular contact with children and youth. Law enforcement checks on all persons who have contact with children are well underway through fingerprinting. It was recommended this be made a priority and be completed promptly. The Diocese has not transferred any priest or deacon who has had a credible allegation of sexual abuse made against him to another ministerial assignment, or for purposes of residency in another diocese. Three retired/suspended priests have voluntarily returned to their home dioceses abroad, and the location of a fourth is unknown. The Diocese received a Recommendation to ensure that the location of these priests are known and that the men adhere to the provisions of the Charter. It was recommended that the foreign dioceses be advised of the priests’ offenses. There are no major superiors in the Diocese, but communication with appropriate superiors exists to ensure coordination. The Diocese has not had the opportunity to conduct research with other faiths or institutions of learning in the area of sexual abuse of minors. A systematic program to screen and evaluate candidates for ordination is in effect. 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 Santa Rosa was issued four Recommendations.

RECOMMENDATION 1—That the Diocese furnish critical documents and training in the Spanish language for the outreach and safe environment programs.

RECOMMENDATION 2—That the Diocese take steps to ensure that the locations of removed priests are known and that these priests are conforming to the requirements of the Charter, and that the Diocese advise the bishops of the dioceses in which the men reside about their backgrounds.

RECOMMENDATION 3—That the Diocese present the safe environment program to children by November 15, 2003.

RECOMMENDATION 4—That the Diocese expedite the fingerprinting and background checks for all diocesan employees, volunteers, and others having regular contact with children.

As of December 1, 2003, these Recommendations had been addressed. However, the training program selected for children will not be fully implemented until early 2004. The Diocese of Santa Rosa is found to be compliant with the provisions of the Charter, as measured by the process described in Chapter 2 (Section I) and as otherwise noted.

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