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For the week of
November 6, 2003
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Catholic Spirit
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Diocese
reports on national audit
According to
Ronald C. Rak, general secretary for administrative and legal services,
the diocese was audited in late October by representatives of the Office
of Child and Youth Protection of the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops.
He explained,
"The auditors were made aware of the many initiatives this diocese has
taken to protect its children."
Among the
initiatives Rak cited are:
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Entering
into reporting protocols with the prosecutors within the diocese, which
provide for the sharing of all information regarding possible sexual
criminal activity
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Signing the
Memorandum of Understanding with the State Attorney General, which
reiterates the diocese’s agreement to immediately report possible sexual
crimes against children to the proper civil authorities
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Formulating
a diocesan code of pastoral conduct for all diocesan priests, deacons,
pastoral ministers, administrators, staff and volunteers
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Formulating
a policy for criminal history background checks of all diocesan priests
and those religious and lay employees and volunteers who have contact
with children
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Continuing
implementation of the Protecting God’s Children program designed to
increase awareness in our schools and parishes of the crime of sexual
abuse and how to prevent it
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Creation of
the diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection and the appointment of
the former sex crimes investigator for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s
Office as that office’s director
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Enhancement
of the role played by the Diocesan Review Board in evaluating claims of
sexual abuse
Msgr. William
Benwell, vicar general and moderator of the curia, worked closely with the
national auditors in providing documentation of the initiatives and
programs underway and answering their questions. Citing what he called "a
real team effort" in the development and implementation of the
initiatives, Msgr. Benwell stated, "When the report comes out in January
we expect to be among those diocese’s in full compliance."
*The attached/referenced
article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the
official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S.
and international copyright law |
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Metuchen, NJ 08840
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