In light of the clergy sexual abuse scandals that rocked the Catholic Church in recent decades, dioceses across the U.S. have taken great measures to protect their parishioners from further harm. They also have reached out to victims of past abuse to help them heal from their emotional, spiritual and physical pain.
The Diocese of Honolulu has made these prevention and reconciliation efforts a priority. It is an ongoing process that demands constant diligence and awareness.
The diocese has established two resources to manage the different responses of the sexual abuse crisis: the diocesan Safe Environment Office and the Review Board for abuse cases.
The Safe Environment office evolved from the “Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments” program the Diocese of Honolulu created in 2003 to be in compliance with the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” promulgated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops the previous year.
The charter outlines a 17-point response to the sexual abuse crisis. Among them are obligatory background checks for clergy and diocesan employees, protocols for reporting allegations of abuse to public authorities, and the consequences for clergy and employees found guilty of abuse.
Each diocese is required to establish an office of “safe environment” to ensure proper implementation of the USCCB charter. In the Honolulu diocese, the coordinator for that office is Jayne Mondoy, the director of the diocesan Office of Religious Education.
Mondoy oversees safe environment training for all clergy, diocesan employees and volunteers, in particular those who work with minors. The training seminars are done online. According to Mondoy, participants are taught how to “prevent and recognize signs of abuse.”
The safe environment program also has a training curriculum for children and youth in parish programs and Catholic schools. These lessons aim at making them aware of proper relationship “boundaries” and what to do when certain situations make them feel uneasy.
According to Mondoy, 3,560 volunteers and 2,548 employees in Hawaii’s parishes, Catholic schools and diocesan offices have completed adult safe environment courses since the training went online in 2007. She also said that last year close to 5,600 parish religious education students were trained at the parish or by parents who opted to use parish-provided materials at home. She said an additional 9,400 Catholic school students participated either at school or at home.
“We believe that they (the programs) have been effective in keeping children safe through ensuring that many eyes and ears in the community are committed to the process,” Mondoy said.
Background checks
All prospective employees and volunteers who will work with children must undergo criminal background checks. The diocesan Human Resources Office arranges these screenings for diocesan and parish positions. The Office of Clergy may assist the HR office when foreign priests are involved.
The Hawaii Catholic Schools office coordinates the background checks for all paid school employees. The Human Resources Office screens school volunteers and independent contract instructors, such as martial arts trainers and music teachers, who teach in the schools.
Dara Perreira, human resources director for the diocese, said the diocese is very stringent about these background checks and does not hesitate to turn away those who may not be suitable for supervising children including, in extreme situations, those who should not be in the proximity of children, such as on school or parish property, whether children are present or not.
“Background screening results can widely vary. Because we are the church, we still want to be sure that the faithful can participate in parish life,” she said. “Therefore, in certain situations where it’s appropriate, we encourage individuals to volunteer in other ministries that don’t involve kids.”
She said the diocese’s primary concern is for the children “to be safe.”
Mondoy also collaborates with local organizations that provide external services helpful for the safe environment program. The Sex Abuse Treatment Center at Kapiolani Medical Center works with the diocese to assist in therapy and other needs of abuse victims. St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii has contributed its expertise in writing diocesan policy and procedures to deal with sex abuse cases.
Catholic Charities Hawaii, Mondoy said, has been one of the diocese’s primary partners by providing counseling for victims and assisting in “areas of disclosure.” The diocese’s “victim assistance coordinator,” a position mandated by the USCCB charter, is Catholic Charities staffer Edwina Reyes.
Reyes is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a substance abuse counselor. As victim assistance coordinator, she is the primary point of contact between the diocese and the victims reporting allegations of sexual abuse by clergy or other personnel. She also documents allegations for the diocese’s vicar for clergy, and is responsible for reporting to civil authorities any allegation that involves a crime.
The diocesan Review Board is in place to advise the bishop as actual sex abuse allegations surface. This confidential, consultative body is also mandated for each diocese by the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
The charter states that a review board must be composed of “at least five persons of outstanding integrity and good judgment in full communion with the Church.” At least one is to be a priest, while the charter recommends that most be lay people not employed by the diocese. One of the members must have experience in the treatment of sexual abuse of minors.
According to diocesan vicar general Father Gary Secor, the review board for the Diocese of Honolulu has eight members whose expertise covers areas of legal, psychological and pastoral counsel for the bishop.
If the bishop receives an allegation of possible abuse, Father Secor said, “he seeks the help of the review board to evaluate the allegation.”
Board members serve five-year terms. They meet at least three times a year, “and may be convened more often as needed, especially to investigate particular allegations,” Father Secor said.
According to safe environment coordinator Mondoy, the diocese has gone above and beyond implementing the sex abuse guidelines of the USCCB. Protecting youth has become a responsibility rooted in spirituality for all those involved, she said.
Every three years, the diocese undergoes onsite audits by an independent Mainland agency for safe environment practices. The diocese has never failed an audit and recommendations from the auditing agencies have been followed.
“I think we have moved from an attitude of compliance to a pastoral attitude of what it means for the community,” Mondoy said.
