THIRD-PARTY REPORTING SERVICE
For immediate release:
Contact: Danielle E. Cummings, Chancellor/Director of Communications [email protected] or 315.470.1476
May 12,2020
Nationwide Service to Report Sexual Misconduct Involving U.S. Bishops Launched
In May 2019, Pope Francis released his apostolic letter, Vos estis lux mundi (“You are the light of the world”) to address the issue of sexual abuse and bishop accountability in the global Catholic Church. Vos estis calls upon the metropolitan archbishops to undertake the responsibilities for receiving and assessing reports involving bishops that pertain to sexual abuse and related misconduct. In June 2019, one month after Pope Francis issued his order, the bishops of the United States convened for their general assembly in Baltimore and approved the implementation plan for carrying out the directives of the Holy Father here in the United States.
As part of this ongoing commitment to carrying out Vos estis, the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service (CBAR) was established. The service is operated by Convercent, Inc. an independent, third- party entity that provides intake services to private institutions for reports of sensitive topics such as sexual harassment through a secure, confidential, and professional platform. Individuals may go to ReportBishopAbuse.org in order to make a report. Reports are also accepted via (800) 276-1562.
When a report is received, it will be forwarded to the local metropolitan archbishop who will undertake the responsibility of initially assessing the report.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York isthe metropolitan who presides over the New York province, whichincludes dioceses of Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Ogdensburg, Rochester, Rockville Centre and Syracuse. If a report is received that concerns Cardinal Dolan, it will be forwarded totheseniorsuffraganbishop.
The Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting service allows for individuals to relay to Church authorities any reports of a
U.S. Catholic bishop who has:
The Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service (CBAR) does not replace existing reporting systems for complaints against priests, deacons, religious or laity. CBAR was designed to respond only to complaints against bishops for issues related to sexual misconduct.
The reporting of sexual misconduct by anyone in diocesan ministry who is not a bishop, such as priests,deacons,religiousbrothersandsisters,orlaypersonsworkingorvolunteeringfortheChurch should continue to be handled in accordance with the Diocese of Syracuse’s child protection policy, which can be found at www.syrdio.org, and with proper civil authorities. For more information on the reporting service and how it works, please visit:ReportBishopAbuse.org.
WhilethemandatebyPopeFrancisinVosestisechoesmanyofthepracticesthattheCatholicChurch in the United States has already implemented since 2002 with the Charter for the Protection ofChildren and Young People, this new order applies to the bishops and to the worldwide Catholic Church, making clear the pope’s concern of the issue of sexual abuse in the Church at a globallevel.