Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the USA

Q4. How is compliance with the Charter monitored?

Q7. What is a Code of Conduct for ministers, employees, and volunteers? A7. A Code of Conduct identifies acceptable behav ior that is legal, professional, ethical, and responsible. It includes clear standards of ministerial behavior and appropriate boundaries for clergy, paid person nel, and volunteers in positions of trust who have regular contact with children and young people. Q8. Who needs to be trained in child and youth protection? A8. The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People requires dioceses and eparchies to pro vide education and training for children, youth, par ents, ministers, educators, employees, and volunteers about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people. A9. The Catholic Church teaches that the “human body shares in the dignity of the ‘image of God’” (CCC, no. 364). Because of that dignity, every per son is deserving of love and respect. With the gift of life, God gives each of us that dignity. Abuse of all kind harms human dignity. Because children and young people are among the most vulnerable, we are required to protect their dignity. The commission of a sin against the Sixth Commandment by a cleric with a minor also constitutes a grave crime in the Catholic Church, punishable even by dismissal of the offender from the clerical state. Q9. What are the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding child sexual abuse?

A4. In June 2003, the bishops initiated an audit process of all dioceses and eparchies in the United States. The audit determines whether dioceses and eparchies are in compliance with the various arti cles of the Charter, such as the necessity of obtain ing criminal background checks and providing safety training. The audits are conducted by an independent firm. The Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection prepares an Annual Report on the Implementation of the Charter . Q5. How do dioceses and eparchies evalu ate the background of clergy, employees, and volunteers who work with children and young people? A5. Dioceses and eparchies are to utilize the resources of law enforcement and other community agencies to evaluate backgrounds. Because access to records of entities that are not a part of the criminal justice sys tem varies from state to state, dioceses and eparchies conducting evaluations need to adapt accordingly. They need to work with local law enforcement offi cials to determine the best course of action. Q6. How often do background checks have to be done? A6. Because someone could be arrested for a crime at any time, background checks need to be repeated if a person remains an employee or volunteer. Each dioc esan or eparchial bishop determines the appropriate interval of time in light of particular circumstances. Many dioceses and eparchies choose to conduct them every three to five years.

F-6 | Child and Youth Protection and Safety