December 3, 2018
To:
All Interested Parties
From: The Archdiocese of Baltimore Independent Review Board
Re:
2017 Annual Child Protection Report
Attached is the 2017 Annual Child Protection Report of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Independent Review Board (IRB). This is the first of what will be annual reports detailing the
Board’s oversight of child protection efforts for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The IRB was
established in 1993 as a group of independent, interfaith, diverse, lay leaders to review in detail
all actions taken by the Archdiocese in connection with allegations of child sexual abuse and
provide counsel to the Archdiocese relating to its actions and policies for protecting children.
We publish this Report as part of a broader effort of the Archdiocese of Baltimore to be
fully transparent about its policies and practices to ensure the protection of children. Although
begun some months ago, this Report now seems particularly timely in light of the grand jury
report issued by the Attorney General of Pennsylvania in August, and the announcement in
September that the Maryland Attorney General has initiated an investigation of records from the
Archdiocese on incidents involving child sexual abuse.
Board members of the IRB were, like most, profoundly disturbed by the Pennsylvania
report and other national reports of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. We have
independently contacted the Maryland Attorney General’s Office to express our desire to discuss
our oversight efforts, but also to hear from the Attorney General’s office about whether there are
opportunities to improve our practices or procedures for reviewing cases. We recognize that the
creation of the IRB in 1993 was the direct result of the Archdiocese’s own efforts to address the
disturbing legacy of child sexual abuse, and to ensure the ongoing monitoring of decisions and
initiatives designed to deal decisively with the scourge of child sexual abuse. We nevertheless
recognize that there may be ways to further strengthen our approach and efforts to provide
oversight, as may result from the Attorney General’s investigation.
The inability to protect children from predatory adults has been a tragic failure of the
Church. As we continue the long, laborious and painful process of rebuilding faith, credibility
and trust, we acknowledge again that oversight efforts and systems require constant vigilance,
strict accountability and swift action as necessary. The work of the Independent Review Board is
one way to provide more lay oversight and transparency to the Church’s reform efforts. We hope
this report is one step forward in efforts to educate all about the ways to best protect the children
entrusted to our care.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore Independent Review Board:
Hon. Joseph F. Murphy, Chair
Frederick H. Bealefeld, III
Beverly A. Cooper
Michael R. Enright
Hon. Ellen M. Heller

Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Jaskot
Sr. Patricia McCarron, S.S.N.D., Ph.D.
Mary Page Michel
Samuel L. Ross, M.D.
Iona Rudisill, L.M.S.W.

 ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD
2017 ANNUAL CHILD PROTECTION REPORT

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to providing safe and healthy environments for
children and youth, to promoting the healing of victims of child sexual abuse, and to restoring
and maintaining the trust of the faithful. This commitment is expressed in the Archdiocese of
Baltimore’s child and youth protection policies. These policies have been in place since the
1980s, and have been evaluated, strengthened, and disseminated broadly through the years. In
1993, the Archdiocese publicized written child protection policies and established an
Independent Review Board. In 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB) promulgated the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and
Essential Norms which established a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations
of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and deacons. When the Charter and Norms were
promulgated, the Archdiocese implemented mandatory screening and training policies for
employees and volunteers, as well as mandatory safe environment education for children. The
Archdiocese has updated its child protection policies periodically, more recently in revisions
effective November 1, 2018, after input from the Independent Review Board and others. These
policies, along with other important child protection information, can be found at
www.archbalt.org.
Accountability is an essential component in restoring and maintaining the trust of the faithful.
To that end, the Archdiocese of Baltimore (and its parishes and schools) submit to annual audits
conducted by outside auditors selected by the USCCB to assure compliance with the Charter.
The outside auditors are changed periodically and are currently StoneBridge Business Partners.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has been found to be in full compliance with the Charter every
year, including for the Reporting Year covered by this report, namely July 1, 2016 through June
30, 2017.
In order to promote accountability and compliance with the USCCB Charter as well as with
Archdiocesan policy, the Office of Child and Youth Protection reports to the Independent Review
Board at regularly scheduled meetings throughout the year. In addition to these regular
meetings, the Archbishop has directed the Office of Child and Youth Protection to create an
annual report and requested that the draft report be shared with the Independent Review Board
for its review, recommendations, and approval. This document is the annual report for Reporting
Year 2017 which primarily covers the information contained in the annual audit conducted by the
USCCB for that time period regarding the Archdiocese’s compliance with the USCCB Charter.
EDUCATION
The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s safe environment training program (available online at
www.virtusonline.org) educates Church personnel on preventing, recognizing, and reporting
child abuse and neglect. All Clergy, including bishops, all employees, and all volunteers having
Substantial Contact with children at any Covered Entity of the Archdiocese of Baltimore are
required to receive this training.

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In Reporting Year 2017: 38,609 adults received this training.

Family Life Catechesis, which includes safe environment education, is required for children in
grades K-12 in Archdiocesan schools and parish religious education programs. The Department
of Evangelization assists schools and parishes in reviewing materials pertinent to safe
environment education and child abuse prevention education. The resources are made available
to parents and primary caregivers as well.


In Reporting Year 2017: 39,932 children and youth received this education.

SCREENING OF APPLICANTS
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is committed to healthy ministry and seeks to engage competent,
qualified people. To protect children and youth, Church Personnel are screened for their fitness
to work with minors. This process requires obtaining references for all employees and for
volunteers who work with children, and also completion of criminal history screening for clergy,
employees, and volunteers who have substantial contact with children.


In Reporting Year 2017: 7,919 clergy, religious, and employees working with children
were cleared after submitting to a criminal history screening.



In Reporting Year 2017: 30,590 volunteers working with children were cleared after
submitting to a criminal history screening.

REPORTING OF ALLEGATIONS
The Archdiocese of Baltimore strictly complies with Maryland laws requiring reporting
suspected child abuse to civil authorities. Under Maryland law, any person who has reason to
believe a child has been subjected to abuse must report the suspected abuse to civil authorities,
even if the potential victim is now an adult and even if the alleged perpetrator is deceased. If
someone associated with the Church including clergy, employees, or volunteers in the
Archdiocese of Baltimore, is suspected of abuse, Archdiocesan policy requires that the suspected
abuse also be reported to the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Office of Child and Youth Protection at
410-547-5348 or to the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Victims’ Assistance Line staffed by a
licensed social worker at 866-417-7469.
Allegations of child abuse are reported to civil authorities by the Archdiocese regardless of
credibility. Allegations of child sexual abuse against Church Personnel are also reported to the
Independent Review Board by the Archdiocese regardless of credibility. Anyone credibly
accused of child abuse, as determined by the Archdiocese and the Independent Review Board
regardless of whether the person has been convicted of a crime, is permanently excluded from
ministry, employment, and volunteer service in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

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In Reporting Year 2017: 0 clergy or religious serving at the time in the Archdiocese of
Baltimore were accused of child sexual abuse.
In Reporting Year 2017: 9 clergy, who were either deceased or already permanently
removed from priestly ministry due to prior allegations, were accused of child sexual
abuse, based on events that occurred many years earlier. In all cases, reports were made
to civil authorities in accordance with Maryland child abuse reporting laws, and the
Archdiocese cooperated with civil authorities.
In Reporting Year 2017: 3 volunteers or employees serving at the time in the Archdiocese
of Baltimore were accused of child sexual abuse. Specifically, two volunteers and one
employee were accused of child sexual abuse. In each case, the allegation was reported
to civil authorities, the Archdiocese cooperated with civil authorities and the volunteer or
employee was terminated. Two of the matters resulted in criminal convictions.

OUTREACH TO VICTIMS
The Independent Review Board encourages the Archdiocese of Baltimore to act in solidarity
with those who are survivors of abuse. The Archbishop, Vicar Bishops, and other Church leaders
meet with and listen to survivors of Abuse. The Archdiocese of Baltimore reaches out to those
who have been harmed by Church personnel. The Archdiocese recognizes the importance of not
only offering support to those who are abuse survivors, but to their family members as well. The
Office of Child and Youth Protection offers survivors counseling and pastoral services with the
therapist of their choice, and coordinates a financial mediation program for survivors upon their
request for monetary compensation in lieu of counseling. Mediations occur with a retired, nonCatholic judge in a non-adversarial forum where the survivor is represented by legal counsel and
the Archdiocese apologizes for the abuse and offers survivors a personal meeting with the
Archbishop if such a meeting would be helpful. Counseling assistance and mediated settlements
are provided without regard to legal liability and regardless of how long ago the events occurred.
Counseling assistance, mediated settlements, and related legal costs are paid through the
Archdiocese’s insurance programs.


In Reporting Year 2017: The Archdiocese of Baltimore paid $319,086 to provide
counseling, therapy and other necessary medical costs for 64 survivors of child sexual
abuse or their family members.



In Reporting Year 2017: The Archdiocese of Baltimore paid $619,500 in voluntary
settlements with 14 survivors of child sexual abuse through its mediation process
although all 14 claims were time-barred under applicable law. The child sexual abuse
alleged in all of those claims occurred more than 40 years ago.
COMMUNICATIONS
In 2002, the Archdiocese of Baltimore voluntarily published a list of every priest or brother who
had served in the Archdiocese and was known by the central offices of the Archdiocese to have
been credibly accused during his lifetime of child sexual abuse, dating back to the 1940s. The
Archdiocese indicates that the list was compiled to the best of its knowledge, is updated to
include the names of others credibly accused since 2002, and is available on the Archdiocese of
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 Baltimore’s website, https://www.archbalt.org/child-and-youth-protection/priests-accused-ofabuse/ . The website also includes the Archdiocesan Statement of Policy for the Protection of
Children and Youth in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, its Code of Conduct for Church Personnel
of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and other relevant child protection documents,
https://www.archbalt.org/child-and-youth-protection/ . Contact information for reporting
allegations of suspected child abuse to civil authorities and to the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s
Office of Child and Youth Protection is also included on the Archdiocese’s website.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Office of Child and Youth Protection communicates policies
during in-person presentations to new principals, teachers, catechetical leaders and youth
ministers. The Office of Child and Youth Protection also provides in-person training to faculty
and staff at Archdiocesan parishes and schools.
COMPLIANCE
Since 2003, Archdiocesan policy has designated the pastor at each parish and the principal at
each Archdiocesan school as the “Responsible Administrator,” responsible for ensuring that all
individuals serving in the parish or school are in compliance with the requirements of the
Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Child and Youth Protection Policies and Procedures, and ensuring
that all required documentation is maintained.
Since 2003, Archdiocesan policy has required that each Responsible Administrator designate at
least one Screening Coordinator to assist in ensuring that the parish or school is in full
compliance with the requirements of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Child and Youth Protection
Policies and Procedures. The Screening Coordinator is required to maintain compliance records
for the parish or school so that it ca be verified that only those who have been screened and
trained may work or volunteer with children.


In Reporting Year 2017: 9 trainings of new Screening Coordinators were conducted.

On-site visits of parishes and Archdiocesan schools by outside auditors and by Archdiocesan
staff are conducted regularly to make sure that parishes and Archdiocesan schools comply with
the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Child and Youth Protection Policies and Procedures.
As stated previously for Reporting Year 2017, the Archdiocese of Baltimore was again found by
an outside auditor retained by the USCCB to be in compliance with the Charter for the Protection
of Children and Young People. The Archdiocese has been found in compliance every year since
the audits were initiated.
OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES DEDICATED TO CHILD PROTECTION EFFORTS


In Reporting Year 2017: the Archdiocese of Baltimore paid $448,400 for its centralized
child protection efforts, including salaries and expenses, training programs, and
background checks that serve the Archdiocese’s parishes, schools, clergy, employees, and
volunteers. Salaries, expenses, and training programs of the Archdiocese’s Office of

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 Child and Youth Protection are part of the central budget of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
supported by the Cathedraticum paid by Archdiocesan parishes. Background checks are
paid through the Archdiocese’s insurance program.

APPROVED BY THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD
DECEMBER 3, 2018
INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS:
Hon. Joseph F. Murphy, Chair
--Retired Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, former Chief Judge of the
Maryland Court of Special Appeals and former Deputy State’s Attorney for
Baltimore City
Frederick H. Bealefeld, III
--Former Police Commissioner of Baltimore City
Beverly A. Cooper
--Vice President, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, Inc.
Michael R. Enright
--Managing Director, Beowulf Energy
Hon. Ellen M. Heller
--Retired Judge of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City
Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Jaskot
--Pastor, St. Mary-St. Francis-Holy Family Catholic Community in Frederick
County
Sr. Patricia McCarron, S.S.N.D., Ph.D.
--Headmistress, Notre Dame Preparatory School
Mary Page Michel
--Community Volunteer
Samuel L. Ross, M.D.
--Chief Executive Officer, Bon Secours Baltimore Health System
Iona Rudisill, L.M.S.W.
--Anti-Human Trafficking and Exploitation Program Manager, Baltimore City
Child Abuse Center
Affiliations listed for identification and background purposes only.

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