Diocese of
Scranton, Pennsylvania
The Diocese of Scranton (“the Diocese”), established in 1868, encompasses eleven counties in northeast Pennsylvania and serves a Catholic community of 355,000 persons. The Diocese operates 57 schools, and one seminary. There are 240 diocesan priests and 50 permanent deacons serving 195 parishes in the Diocese. The Most Reverend James C. Timlin, installed as bishop in June 1984, leads the Diocese. A compliance audit was conducted during July 28–August 1, 2003. The Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, installed in October 2003, currently leads the diocese.

The following describes conditions evident during the week of the audit.

Findings

To Promote Healing and Reconciliation
The Diocese has had a policy to respond to allegations of sexual abuse of minors since 1993, revised to conform to the Charter in March 2003. The policy has an outreach program to provide prompt pastoral care to victims/survivors and their families. The bishop offers to meet with the victims/survivors. Joan Holmes was designated victim assistance coordinator in September 2002. She is a state-licensed and nationally certified counselor with more than 18 years of experience. A diverse six-member review board, also established in September 2002, comprises respected members of the community, including a priest, a former local government solicitor, a county court judge, an ethics professor, a counseling/psychology professor, and the executive director of a county department of children and youth services. Procedures for reporting an allegation of abuse are readily available in several formats, including the diocesan newspaper and website. No confidentiality agreements have been entered into by the Diocese since June 2002.

To Guarantee Effective Response to Allegations of Abuse of a Minor
It is diocesan policy and practice to promptly report all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor to civil authorities, regardless of the year of occurrence or the age of the victim/survivor. The Diocese has a procedure for advising victims/survivors of their right to report allegations of sexual abuse by clergy to civil authorities. The local assistant district attorney confirmed an excellent working relationship with the Diocese. The Diocese uses the VIRTUS program to promulgate standards of ministerial behavior and appropriate boundaries. The Diocese has a clearly established communications policy and a communications advisory committee that manifests a commitment to transparency and openness. The Diocese has not had any parish recently directly affected by clergy misconduct involving a child or minor.

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 safe environment program is based on VIRTUS: Protecing God's Children and the diocese is in the process of training all employees and adult volunteers who work with children in the Diocese of Scranton. Appropriate background evaluations including fingerprint and state police background checks are conducted. No credibly accused member of the clergy has been transferred to another ministerial assignment in another diocese. Three accused clergy are now living in other dioceses and the three other dioceses have been confidentially advised of the backgrounds of these men. The bishop has communicated his desire to meet with representatives of religious institutes in the Diocese to discuss respective responsibilities under the Charter. The Diocese relies on the Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests (2001)¹ for its ongoing formation of priests program. A Commendation was issued for the conscientious and committed efforts of the rector of St. Pius X Seminary for the formation of priests.

Compliance with the Provisions of the Charter

At the conclusion of this audit, the Diocese of Scranton was found to be compliant with the provisions of the Charter as measured by the process described in Chapter 2 in Section I. One Commendation was issued.

COMMENDATION—For the conscientious and committed efforts of the rector of St. Pius X Seminary for the formation of priests.

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.




__________________________________

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