Child Protection

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From Our Prior Provincial

Dear Friends in Christ,

As Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, I write to you to acknowledge the horror of the recent revelations of child sexual abuse in the Church and the betrayal of trust that they represent.  Unfortunately, our Province has not been exempt from this scourge. In the past, friars from our Province have harmed innocent children. On behalf of the Province, I ask your forgiveness for the sins of those individual friars and for any time the Province failed to act effectively to protect innocent children.

I assure you that no friar of our Province with a credible allegation of child sexual abuse lodged against him is in public ministry anywhere.  The most contemporary allegations against friars of the Province concern events in 1999 and 2001. The friars in those two cases were subject to criminal prosecution and permanently removed from public ministry.  All other known allegations concern events before 1990. The Province has undertaken significant efforts to ensure the safety of children and is committed to offering help and counselling to assist the healing of those who have been hurt.  These efforts are summarized on this website.

However, there is always the need for continued vigilance and improvement.  In 2018, in consultation with his Council and the Province’s Review Board, the prior provincial determined that the Province of St. Joseph will release the names of all friars who have been permanently removed from public ministry because of a credible allegation of child sexual abuse as well as those friars for whom an allegation of child sexual abuse was established after their death or departure from the Province. These names were first posted on our Provincial website on November 8, 2018.  We continue to update this information as new facts are established. Our hope is that the release of these names will offer consolation to those who have been harmed and encourage others to come forward to receive help.

For the past eighteen years, all the members of the Province have offered special prayers every week for the victims of child sexual abuse by priests and religious and for the protection of children. While this is a small action in comparison with the seriousness of child sexual abuse, it is only by the power of God’s grace that healing and true transformation can take place.

Sincerely in Christ,

Very Rev. Allen B. Moran, O.P.
Prior Provincial

Prayer for Healing

God of endless love,
ever caring, ever strong,
always present, always just:
You gave your only Son
to save us by the blood of his cross.

Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace,
join to your own suffering
the pain of all who have been hurt
in body, mind, and spirit
by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.

Hear our cries as we agonize
over the harm done to our brothers and sisters.
Breathe wisdom into our prayers,
soothe restless hearts with hope,
steady shaken spirits with faith:
Show us the way to justice and wholeness,
enlightened by truth and enfolded in your mercy.

Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts,
heal your people’s wounds
and transform our brokenness.
Grant us courage and wisdom, humility and grace,
so that we may act with justice
and find peace in you.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Source: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops)