Bishop Peter Jugis recently signed the updated Protocols for Ministry With All Minors. The original protocol became diocesan law in 2004. Youth Ministry Director Paul Kotlowski and Providence Sister Betty Paul, in cooperation with pastors in the diocese, helped update the guidelines which were promulgated by Bishop Jugis.
— Sueann Howell | Catholic News Herald
Diocese revises policy to protect minors
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Diocese revises policy to protect minors
CHARLOTTE — Changes are being made to the Diocese of Charlotte's policy governing the protection of children and young people.
The changes to "Protocols for Ministry with and to Minors," which will go into effect Sept. 1, create a more closely-aligned child protection policy for all youth-related ministries across the diocese, including its 92 parishes, 19 Catholic schools, faith formation programs, agencies and groups, events and more.
The updated policy applies to all ministries to all minors, from birth through high school.
Among its updates, it changes the adult chaperone-to-youth ratio from 1:8 to 1:10 with "two deep" leadership, includes consideration of certain possible pastoral situations such as unwed pregnancy, and correlates more closely with relevant civil laws.
It is the first update in nearly six years to the policy, which was first issued in 2004 by Bishop Peter Jugis.
"The hallmark features of this current revision include the expansion to include all minors, intentional and systematic collaboration with the diocesan Hispanic Ministry vicariate, and inclusion of pertinent existing diocesan Catholic schools' policies," said Paul Kotlowski, diocesan director of youth ministry, who led the update work in collaboration with others.
The diocese has had child protection policies in place for more than 20 years.
Its 1994 "Policy of the Diocese of Charlotte Concerning Ministry-Related Sexual Misconduct by Church Personnel" established an independent review board to investigate claims of abuse.
Less than six months after being installed as bishop, during an Ash Wednesday 2004 homily, Bishop Jugis apologized for the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Church that had victimized so many children, including those hurt by priests in the Charlotte diocese. The following week he announced a set of protocols for youth ministry based on the misconduct policy the diocese had relied upon since 1994 but which would mirror the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' 2002 "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."
This "Protocols for Ministry with and to Minors" has been diocesan law since 2004.
The diocese has instituted a five-year review schedule since then, so that diocesan leaders can remain vigilant in working to ensure the safety of children entrusted into the Church's care, Kotlowski noted.
The current revision process was spearheaded by Kotlowski and Providence Sister Betty Paul, and is the result of extensive consultations with pastors and parish catechetical leaders over the past year and a half.
"It was a great experience to work with Paul on the update and to do our best to coordinate and integrate the protocols to include some of the policies in the Catholic schools and to do an integrated approach with the Hispanic community," said Sister Betty, who serves as diocese's northern region coordinator in the Faith Formation office.
"What was significant for me is that when we speak about young people in our Church, we're not just speaking about those persons involved in youth ministry programs, faith formation programs, in the Catholic schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Hispanic Ministry youth programs. It's the goal of integrating our whole Church and our involvement in the Church," she said.
"It's about expressing to those young people and their adults the importance of their safety and our responsibility for their safety, regardless if we are responsible for them in a particular venue or program...so that the responsibility is for all of us within the Catholic community."
"Each parish setting, school setting is different," she noted, adding, "Our goal is that the protocols will assist the parish leaders and school leaders in each of these settings, that they will help them to have a positive influence on their ministry."
The new policy is being distributed to all priests, deacons and parish leaders, as well as published on the diocese's website at www.charlottediocese.org.
Church staff, ministry leaders, volunteers and others will have the chance to learn about the updated policy during a Sept. 17 Education Vicariate training session at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory. Parishes and others can schedule their own training on the new policy by contacting the Faith Formation, Youth Ministry or Hispanic Ministry offices.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
For more
At www.education.charlottediocese.com: Read the revised "Protocols for Ministry with and to Minors" that applies to all youth ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte