Steadfast Commitment to Protecting Children

The Third Order Regular Franciscans of the Province of the Immaculate Conception are aware of the profound suffering and harm caused by incidents of sexual abuse of children by some priests and members of religious orders. As brothers to all and as ministers within the Church, we are committed to protecting and ensuring the safety of all the people we serve, especially the safety of children. 

Our Province is opposed to, will strive to prevent, and will promptly address all forms of misconduct, especially sexual misconduct involving minors and vulnerable adults.  The Province is also committed to participating in processes of healing for victims and survivors of misconduct by its friars, employees, or other partners in ministry.

In regard to the sexual abuse of children/minors, we affirm and acknowledge that:

• Sexual abuse of a minor by a friar is contrary to our vowed life and our profession to live the Gospel. The Province will not tolerate or excuse the sexual abuse of a minor by a friar of our Province.
• Sexual abuse of a minor by a friar is a crime. The Province will cooperate fully with civil authorities and will report to these authorities all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor that are brought against a friar of our Province.
• Sexual abuse of a minor by a friar is a misuse of power and a violation of trust, and precludes a friar from functioning as a public minister. The Province will cooperate fully with all dioceses and will make full disclosure of allegations of sexual abuse of minors by a friar of the Province to the diocese wherein friars of the Province minister. When it is established that a friar is guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, the Province will not request permission for this friar to function as a priest or public minister.

HOW THE THIRD ORDER REGULAR FRANCISCANS RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS OF ABUSE

The friars respond to all allegations of sexual abuse with great care. To ensure that we handle each instance promptly, thoroughly, and compassionately, the Province has appointed a licensed professional therapist to serve as its Survivor Assistance Coordinator. The Survivor Assistance Coordinator, as well as the Minister Provincial, are committed to listening to, understanding, and offering pastoral and spiritual support to those affected by sexual abuse or sexual misconduct. This may include professional counseling if requested.

The Minister Provincial, in collaboration with the Survivor Assistance Coordinator and independent investigators will respond swiftly to evaluate and investigate any accusation of sexual abuse of a minor by a friar. 

The Third Order Regular Franciscans, consistent with the directives of the Catholic Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, uses an established  independent Review Board of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) to review allegations of sexual abuse of minors. This interdisciplinary board of lay professionals reviews the information provided by victims and others, as well as the findings of an independent investigation, in order to make recommendations to the Minister Provincial concerning appropriate actions to be taken.

A friar with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor will be subject to a Safety Plan. This rigorous relapse prevention program provides appropriate psychological treatment designed by professionals for offenders and entails ongoing monitoring and supervision for the rest of his life in the Province.

PREVENTING SEXUAL ABUSE

In addition to establishing procedures for responding to sexual abuse, the Third Order Regular Franciscans have undertaken a series of measures to prevent incidents of abuse. These include extensive mandatory psychological evaluation of members before they enter the community and providing continuing education programs for the friars about issues of sexuality, personal conduct, and maintaining appropriate boundaries.  Each friar is responsible for participating in one of these programs yearly.

TOGETHER TO PROTECT

It is our firm belief that friars must maintain appropriate boundaries with lay people in order to preserve the integrity of the ministerial relationship. Moreover, we call upon those with knowledge of a friar’s inappropriate behavior, whether past or present, to come forward with this information so that innocent victims may be spared from further harm. In short, we ask everyone to join with us to protect the safety of children, women, and men and, with firm determination, to promote healing where there is pain.

WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP

The Third Order Regular Franciscans urge any person who has reason to believe a child has been subjected to abuse by a Franciscan friar or anyone else, to report the suspected abuse to law enforcement authorities, even if the potential victim is now over 18 years old and even in those cases where the alleged perpetrator is deceased.

If the suspected abuse involves a Franciscan friar, the Province also urges individuals with such knowledge to report it directly to the Province’s Survivor Assistance Coordinator, Fr. Ambrose Phillips, T.O.R., at 202-526-6800 ext. 216 or send an email to kenp@sli.org.   Your report will be managed with the strictest sensitivity and confidentiality.

If the victim is currently a minor, we will report the incident to the appropriate state or local law enforcement agency. The Province will also report an allegation of past sexual abuse of a minor even if the alleged victim is now an adult, unless the person accused of abuse is known to be deceased. Similar actions will be taken if an allegation is received that a vulnerable adult was sexually abused.

DEFINITIONS RELATED TO SEXUAL ABUSE

Within its policies related to protecting children and vulnerable adults, the Province uses various words and terms with specific definitions. For purposes of these policies, the following definitions apply:

• Minor: Any person under the age of 18 is considered a minor.
• Vulnerable Adult: Any person in a state of infirmity, physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal liberty which, in fact, even occasionally, limits their ability to understand or to want or otherwise resist the offense.
• Friar/Member: Friars include postulants, novices, simply professed brothers, and solemnly professed brothers and priests who are members of the Province of the Immaculate Conception of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of Assisi, also known as the Third Order Regular Franciscans (T.O.R.). Sexual abuse by a friar refers to sexual abuse by a man who was a Franciscan T.O.R. at the time the sexual abuse occurred.
• Credible Allegation: An accusation which the Minister Provincial believes, with moral certitude, after careful investigation and review by professionals, that an incident of sexual abuse of a minor or a vulnerable adult occurred, or probably occurred, with the possibility that it did not occur being highly unlikely.
• Moral certitude: In this context means a high degree of probability, but short of absolute certainty.