By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
A three-day on-site independent audit conducted in October found the Diocese of Honolulu’s safe environment policies and procedures in full compliance with the U.S. bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”
Kristin Leandro, Safe Environment director for the Diocese of Honolulu. (HCH photo)
The Charter is the set of procedures the bishops established in 2002 for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The document, which has been revised several times, includes guidelines for creating a safe environment for children and young people, reconciling victims, responding promptly to allegations, cooperating with civil authorities, disciplining offenders and preventing future acts of abuse.
A letter dated Oct. 17 to Bishop Larry Silva from StoneBridge Business Partners, Inc., the independent third-party organization contracted by the U.S. bishops to conduct the audit, stated: “Based on the results of our recently performed on-site audit of the Diocese of Honolulu, the Diocese has been found compliant with all audited Articles within the Charter.”
Kristin Leandro, the Safe Environment director for the Diocese of Honolulu, said that the success of the audit was “due in large part to the hard work and commitment of the clergy, religious, teachers, employees and volunteers in our parishes, schools and diocesan organizations.”
“Those who minister to our youth, to the most vulnerable members of our church, demonstrate every day how much they truly care about the people they serve,” she said.
Jim Marasco of StoneBridge, which is based in Rochester, New York, was in Hawaii Oct. 2-4 interviewing diocesan leaders and representatives of parishes and schools.
Marasco met with Bishop Silva, vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor, Office of Clergy director Father Manuel Hewe, judicial vicar Father Mark Gantley, superintendent of Catholic schools Michael Rockers, and six other diocesan personnel.
He also talked to two members of the diocesan review board, the 12-member group that examines charges of sexual abuse by clergy and church employees and volunteers, and the diocesan attorney.
The auditor visited Blessed Sacrament Church in Honolulu, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church and School in Pearl City and St. Ann Church and School in Kaneohe, to interview the pastors, school principals, youth ministry directors and others.
Leandro coordinated the interviews and site visits.
She pointed to the work of Tyra Lamb as an example of the efforts Hawaii parishes are taking in this area. Lamb is the safe environment liaison for Our Lady of Good Counsel Church and School. She is a licensed social worker with years of experience in child abuse prevention who has worked directly with victims of domestic and child abuse.
Using VIRTUS, a national safe environment training program employed by the diocese, Lamb has led numerous safe environment training sessions at her parish and parish school, and also at St. Elizabeth School in Aiea and St. John the Baptist School in Kalihi.
The Diocese of Honolulu requires safe environment training of all clergy, diocesan and parish and school employees, and background checks for church personnel who work with children and youth. It also has a victim assistance coordinator, an independently licensed marriage and family therapist who is available by hotline to counsel and support victims and to take proper action.
Each parish in the diocese also has a safe environment liaison to ensure that diocesan policies are followed.
According to Leandro, all 129 priests and 70 deacons in current active ministry in Hawaii have completed safe environment background screening and training requirements, statistics reported with the auditor.
“Our Bishop takes the safe environment requirements very seriously, especially in regards to our clergy,” Leandro said.
While the diocese was found to be in compliance with the Charter, Stonebridge did make two “suggestions” for adjustments to the diocesan policy document. One was to add the phrase, “acquisition, possession and distribution of child pornography,” to the “Misconduct” section of the document. It is already addressed generally in the policies. The other was to include safe environment training for those who serve “vulnerable adults.”
The audit conducted by Stonebridge Business Partners takes place every three years. The diocese also participates in a U.S. bishops’ yearly paper audit.
