Report to the People of God of the Diocese of Salt Lake City

By Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, D.D.

Bishop of Salt Lake City

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

Our Catholic Church is embroiled in a very shocking, painful, shameful sexual scandal that has
brought so much anger, pain, doubt and even loss of faith in the Church and our faith leaders.
The recent revelation of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Investigation has revealed the harrowing
history and sinful deeds of some priests and bishops as well as the attempted cover-ups or
omissions of some leaders of our Church who miserably failed in carrying out their sacred
responsibility of protecting God’s children in their pastoral care.

The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City is committed to providing safe and loving care for young
people in our parishes, missions, schools and other ministries. It is our serious intent to protect
our children and to reach out to victim-survivors who have been abused by our clergy or other
Church personnel so they can receive healing, justice, reconciliation and peace.

I humbly present a brief overview of the Diocesan Programs and Actions to provide pertinent
information on how our local Church addresses and continues to respond in ensuring the safety
of minors and young children under our pastoral care. This report provides statistical data on
allegations of sexual abuse of minors the diocese has received and processed. It includes the
current policy known as the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” that
defines the process by which our diocese handles the reporting and investigation of any
allegation against priests, religious or church staff. We also observe strict implementation of the
Zero Tolerance policy that calls for the immediate removal of offenders from ministry.

Our Church can never relax from seeking to provide a safe environment for our children by
constantly requiring background checks of all priests, teachers, church staff and ministers in the
parish and by providing extensive programs of education and training for priests, teachers and
other Church workers to help ensure the safety of our children. We also provide children with
age-relevant educational programs about sexual abuse and help them learn how to avoid and
report questionable behavior.
In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, we take our sacred responsibility of protecting our children
very seriously. We are saddened by and ashamed of the sexual abuse scandal in our Church.
Some of our priests and bishops have committed harm and injustice to so many. On behalf of all
my brother priests, and myself, I beg your forgiveness for their sins and failings.

I assure you of our sincere efforts in providing a safe place for our children. Your support is
essential. Please join us in praying for all the victims-survivors and their families to find healing,
justice and peace. Include all our priests so they may continue to strive to be true shepherds of
Christ dedicated in caring for their flock. Most of all, pray for all bishops, so we can continue to
be vigilant and conscious of our responsibility in safeguarding the precious life, sanctity and
dignity of every child God has given us.

History of the Allegations of Clergy Abuse in the Diocese of Salt Lake City

In 1990, Bishop William K. Weigand of the Diocese of Salt Lake City issued a Diocesan Policy
to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors that included investigating suspected abuse by
Church ministers, reporting and removing offenders from ministry. He also instituted a strict
policy to ensure that future allegations would be reported to authorities and that anyone found to
have committed abuse – whether a priest, deacon, religious or a lay person – would be held
accountable and permanently removed from ministry in the diocese.

Allegations of Clergy Sexual Abuse of Minors

The following is a statistical report of credible allegations made against Church ministers
accused of abusing minors from 1960 to 2018:

Since 1990, the Diocese received credible allegations of sexual abuse against 16 priests, 1
religious brother and 1 seminarian that involved approximately 34 victims.
– 16 of these 18 incidents occurred between 1962 and 1994, before the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” was established
and implemented in 2002.

– 2 reports of allegations were received in 2002 and 2003 after the introduction of the Charter.

– 4 reports of sexual abuse that happened between 1951 and 1975 were received by the diocese
between 2005 and 2010. These involved victims who could not remember which perpetrator
(priest or lay) had abused them. All victims were offered funding for therapy.

– Most allegations were reported to and received by the diocese after the priest either had left the
priesthood, had retired, returned to their country of origin or had died.

– All allegations were reported to the Division of Child and Family Services and all victims were
offered pastoral assistance with counseling and therapy.

– After promulgation of the Charter in 2002, the Diocese of Salt Lake City submitted 3 cases to
the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine and the Faith for canonical process as these crimes
were reserved to their office and jurisdiction.

– 2 cases were confirmed by the administrative decisions of the Bishop and 1 of them, after a
long procedural trial, was granted a dismissal from the clerical state or priesthood.

– No further cases have been submitted to the Congregation on matters of sexual abuse of minors
or the Congregation for the Clergy regarding special faculties granted to them in cases of
dismissal from the clerical state or the priesthood.

– Recently, this year, 2 others allegations of sexual abuse were reported against 2 priests. Both
allegations have been reported to the authorities, investigation is ongoing and both are under
temporary suspension from priestly ministry.
PRESENT and FUTURE ACTIONS

Since 1990, the Diocese has responded, will continue to respond to the allegations of sexual
abuse against priests and will faithfully observe the provisions of the 2002 US. Bishops “Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People” issued in Dallas, Texas.

1. In compliance with the mandate, the Diocese maintains the Office of Safe Environment to
implement the following policies:

– Provide abuse prevention and reporting programs for both minors and adults.

– Screen adults through background checks of those who work with children in the Church or
schools.

– Enjoin all parishes to have a Safe Environment Committee responsible for conducting
background checks and training for all Church workers and other ministers; offer educational
information and training on safe environment for both adults and children.

– Plan the observance of the annual Abuse Prevention Month in April to build awareness and
education on this issue.

– Include other essential norms such as guidelines for prayer, reconciliation, healing, prevention
of future acts of abuse and an annual compliance audit process. These norms found in the
Diocesan Administrative Handbook have been in place, enforced, revised and strengthened over
the years. Since the adoption of the Charter, the Diocese of Salt Lake City has been in full
compliance when audited by the National Office.

2. The Church receives and treats any allegation or complaint of sexual abuse of a minor and
other sexual misconduct seriously, prompting immediate investigation and reporting to the
Department of Child and Family Services as well as to a law enforcement agency or police.

3. Upon receipt of an allegation, the accused is placed under temporary suspension from priestly
ministry or administrative duties pending further investigation. The diocese extends pastoral
outreach to the victims and their families that includes the practice of offering therapy to the
sexual abuse victims. That an allegation has been received is also announced in the parish or
parishes where the accused priest exercises or had been assigned to exercise ministry. As
appropriate, accused priests are required to undergo psychological evaluation and treatment
before any consideration of a return to ministry.

4. We maintain an Independent Review Board consisting mostly of laymen and women with
various professional backgrounds and experiences as well as some clergy. They help investigate
and review all reported cases of sexual abuse of minors and other sexual misconduct, provide
feedback and disciplinary advice to the Vicar for Clergy and the Bishop, including
recommendations to remove a priest from ministry when it is appropriate

5. We will continue to update, revise and expand the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’
procedures and strictly adhere to its “Zero Tolerance policy.” This policy enforces that no priest
or other Church minister, whether clergy, paid personnel or volunteer, found to have abused a
minor at any time in their lives, or credibly accused of such sexual abuse will return to ministry
in any capacity.

The Diocese of Salt Lake City is committed to carrying out this sacred duty responsibly and
faithfully now and in the future. With your support, we hope to provide a safe environment for
all children and everyone.

Furthermore, for the horrible sins of some priests against minors and the failure of some bishops
in their responsibility to nourish and protect the little ones, we enjoin all our parish communities
to do an act of penance and reparation. I encourage all parishes and Utah Catholic Schools to
devote a time for prayer, healing and reconciliation. Let us gather our parish community every
First Friday of the month from September to December of this year, or as the parish schedule
permits, to gather for a prayer service – Benediction, Holy Hour or rosary – and remember in our
intentions all victim-survivors, their families and our Church. Let us pray in this time of
darkness, shame, anger and pain so God will bless us with His mercy and love and that justice
and peace will prevail upon us.