Letter to the Editor

Published: May 12


As your May 7 editorial “The Passivity of the Catholic Church” noted, the efforts of the Society of Jesus to restrict Donald McGuire from sexually abusing minors failed. The Post rightly insists on punishment for this failure, and we have paid for our mistakes and learned from them. But alleging “passivity” in our efforts to protect minors against sexual misconduct is inaccurate.

Because there is nothing more heinous than the abuse of a child, men’s religious orders in the Catholic Church today enforce stringent policies to prevent abuse, to respond appropriately to victims, and to notify legal authorities. These policies are supervised by lay-led review boards. Praesidium, Inc., a nationally-recognized leader in the protection of children and young people, audits and accredits each religious order on its compliance to national standards, including the supervision of offenders. Cases like McGuire’s have fostered constant vigilance.

We cannot undo the past. But church leaders can learn. All who care for children — churches, schools, sports programs — must be judged on how we respond to allegations of sexual misconduct in the present and in the future. On this point we all agree: passivity is unacceptable.

Thomas H. Smolich, Washington

The writer is president of the Jesuit Conference of the United States.
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2012/05/11/gIQAowI1KU_story.html