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Message from Bishop Olmsted
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When the disciples of Jesus rebuked people after they brought
children "to him that he might lay his hands on them and
pray." "Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me, and
do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such
as these.'" (see Mt. 19:13-14) It is a source of grave scandal
when the trust of those who bring their children to the Church
is betrayed. As Bishop of Phoenix, I am fully committed to the
goals that have been established by the Bishops of the United
States to ensure that our churches and other facilities are safe
environments where children will be prayed for, schooled and protected.
The Catholic Church defends the sanctity of human life at every
stage, seeks to protect persons from injustice and does not hesitate
to condemn all that afflicts the human person. The Church is firmly
committed to the care of families and their children. She considers
abuse or neglect of children as contrary to Christian morality
and as an offense against God and against the dignity of the human
person.
The Bishops of the United States have promised to reach out to
those who have been sexually abused as minors by anyone serving
the Church in ministry, employment, or a volunteer position, whether
the sexual abuse was recent or many years ago. In June 2002, the
Bishops renewed the Church's commitment to the spiritual and emotional
well being of those who have been sexually abused and of their
families by the approval and promulgation of the Charter for the
Protection of Children and Young People.
I, Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, pledge my support to
this national effort by diligently enacting policies, which safeguard
minors in our Diocese. This procedure is not a new initiative,
rather an extension and development of our Policy on Sexual Misconduct
by Diocesan Personnel that has been in force since 1995, revised
in 1998 and was predated by earlier policies from 1991. As our
understanding of sexual abuse grows, this policy and its procedures
will be reviewed and revised.
We, as a Diocese, will work with parents, educators, civil authorities
and various organizations in the community to provide the safest
possible environment for minors. Additionally, Diocesan officials
will respond promptly to any allegation where there is reason
to believe that sexual abuse of a minor has occurred, whether
recently or many years in the past.
In October 2003, this current revised Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Sexual Misconduct Policy was promulgated. This policy demonstrates
a collaborative effort between local public authorities and the
Diocese of Phoenix. A goal of this effort is to raise everyone's
awareness of what the Church hopes to accomplish through its "Safe
Environment" training program. It will be important to share
with parishioners information concerning the advances that are
being made in education about this important issue on an ongoing
basis, as well as a person's rights and responsibilities and the
support systems that are available.
In his First Letter, St. John wrote, "Beloved, we are God's
children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do
know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is." (1Jn. 3:2) The wonder of God's saving
love is constantly revealed in our midst through human instruments
that are made of clay. While fragile, we reflect the glory of
the one true God who created us in his image. I invite you to
join with me in a cooperative effort to provide an environment
that is welcoming and safe for our children. A place where parents
can entrust their children with confidence that they will experience
the love that God has for them and find blessing.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Thomas J. Olmsted
Bishop of Phoenix
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