Diocesan Review Board

The Diocesan Review Board assists the bishop in promptly responding to any allegation of sexual misconduct by members of the diocesan clergy or other diocesan personnel. Members are:

Lester Amann , Chairman

Mr. Amann is President and Co-Owner of Amric Associates, LTD, a full service investigative and security consulting firm. Previously, Mr. Amann was a Special Agent for nearly thirty years, fourteen of which were as the Senior Supervisory Senior Resident Agent, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Central New York Region.

Mr. Amann is a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the City of Syracuse/County of Onondaga Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission, Chairman of the Syracuse Onondaga Businesses Against Drugs and Past President of the Federal Executive Associates.

Sr. Katie Eifffe, CSJ - Sr.

Kathleen Eiffe, CSJ is a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet of the Albany Province who serves presently as the Diocesan Director of Religious Education. She is a member of the Diocesan Safe Environment Committee, and has been trained as a VIRTUS facilitator. Sr. Katie is a graduate of Rome Catholic High School and has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Social Studies from the State University at Oswego and a Master of Arts in Theology from St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. She has previously served as a high school teacher in various schools within the Albany and Syracuse dioceses, as a pastoral associate at Holy Family church in Fulton, and as Regional Director of Religious Education for both the Northern and Eastern Regions, as well as Associate Diocesan Director of Religious Education. She is also currently co-chair of the New York State Council of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education.

Robert Ford, Jr. ACSW-CSW

Mr. Ford has been a social worker in Broome County for over 30 years. He is the Director of Social Work for Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton where he has served since 1983. He has also been employed as the Assistant Director of the Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference, Binghamton and as the Senior Caseworker and Supervisor of Foster Care for the Broome County Department of Social Services. He is a member of the Broome County Child Abuse Prevention Council (now named the Family Violence Prevention Council) since 1985 and a member of the Multi-Disciplinary Child Abuse Case Prevention Team since 1984. Over the years, he has provided professional education to over 2000 medical professionals in child abuse.

Nancy Wright, MSW, CSW

Ms. Wright has over thirty years of experience in the social work field and extensive experience in counseling victims of child sexual abuse. She is recently retired as a Psychiatric Social Worker and Associate Director of the Child Abuse Project for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic at SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse. She was also employed as the Psychiatric Social Worker for the Center for Youth Services Adolescent Outpatient Clinic for nearly 20 years. She has been in private practice of individual and family therapy since 1982. Professional memberships include: the National Association of Social Workers, Syracuse Sex Abuse Team, and the NYS Society of Clinical Social Work.

Rev. Joseph Zareski

Reverend Joseph Zareski is Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in New Hartford, New York. He served as the Assistant Chancellor/Secretary to the Bishop since 1997. He has also been Pastor of St. Bartholomew in Norwich and St. Joseph’s Church in Oxford and Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, Holy Family in Fulton and St. Mary’s Church in New York Mills. He was ordained in 1980.

Diocesan Review Board Policy

In response to widespread concern over sexual abuse of minors by clerics, the bishops of the U.S. have published the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Charter commits the Church to promote healing and reconciliation of sexually abused persons, and to protect our faithful in the future. To this end, and consonant with the directives of the Charter, the Diocese of Syracuse establishes this Review Board to assist the bishop as a consultive body in assessing allegations and fitness for ministry, to regularly review policies pertaining to the personal safety of children, and to advise the bishop on all aspects of responses required in connection with the sexual abuse of minors.

The Review Board (“Board”) shall consist of not less than five members, nor more than seven. Its members shall include one priest, at least one member with expertise in sexual abuse of minors, and at least one member with expertise in law enforcement. The Board shall select by a majority vote from among its members a chairperson who shall serve for one year, re-electable.

Members shall serve upon written appointment by the diocesan bishop for a period of five years, renewable. The Board shall meet at least quarterly and otherwise as needed, at the discretion of the Board or the bishop.

Members shall serve upon written appointment by the diocesan bishop for a period of five years, renewable. The Board shall meet at least quarterly and otherwise as needed, at the discretion of the Board or the bishop.

The Assistance Coordinator, the bishop (and his appointees) and diocesan counsel shall be present at meetings of the Board at the discretion of the Board.

All matters discussed and all information presented to the Board shall be maintained in a confidential manner, to be disclosed only to the extent necessary, to the parties involved, to the bishop or persons designated by the bishop or as required by church or civil Law. Functions of the Board shall include:

  1. Review, on an annual basis, diocesan written policies on the sexual abuse of minors by priests, deacons or other church personnel in order to recommend to the diocesan bishop any modifications or additions to the existing policy.
  2. Assess retrospective allegations referred to the Board by the diocesan bishop and all new allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests, deacons and other church personnel. The Board shall advise the bishop as to its findings and recommendations.
  3. Make recommendations to the diocesan bishop concerning fitness for types of ministry in conjunction with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
  4. Assist in related issues as requested by the bishop.

All clergy and religious, employees, and volunteers serving the Diocese are expected to cooperate fully with the Board and its representatives.