FAQ

A: Those individuals who, in the judgment of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, are credibly accused of any of actions that disqualify and prohibit them from working or volunteering with children or youth in any Diocese of Kalamazoo parish, school, agency, institution or any other Catholic entity located within the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
 

A: Disqualifying and prohibiting actions, if done by someone who at the time was employed or volunteering for any parish, school, agency, institution, or any other Catholic entity within the Diocese of Kalamazoo, include:
 

• continued violation of a child-protection policy after warnings,
• failing as a mandated reporter to report allegations of abuse of minors,
• failing to act to prevent abuse that they knew to be happening,
• furnishing pornography to minors,
• the possession/use of child pornography,
• physical abuse of minors,
• direct sexual abuse or sexual assault of minors.

A. For an individual to be included on this list, the relevant allegation(s) must be established to be credible by at least one of the following:
 
(1) secular legal proceedings,
(2) canon law proceedings,
(3) self-admission by the individual,
(4) evidence that meets the “clear and convincing” standard (defined as highly probable or reasonably certain).

A: Shortly after his ordination as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Bishop Lohse made it a top priority to address the area of child and youth protection. Drawing on his extensive background as the former director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth in the Diocese of Erie, he convened a task force of diocesan personnel and clergy to do a thorough and systematic review of all policies and procedures to be applied consistently throughout the diocese.

These major updates and continued review of our diocesan policies are with three primary goals in mind: first, to protect the children and youth entrusted to us by creating safe environment in our churches, schools and apostolates; second, to work to educate our faithful and those in our community to recognize predatory and other behavior that puts children at risk; and third, to work toward eradicating all forms of child abuse.
 

A: The Trauma Recovery Program is a free 10-week program that was started in the Diocese of Kalamazoo in the fall of 2002, for people dealing with the impact of childhood abuse or neglect. Participants gain an understanding of why past traumas continue to affect them and what they can do to get better. Nearly 600 people in our diocese have participated in this program as they heal from their past. To register, please call 269.779.5322

A: Anyone who is aware of child abuse should report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

A. The Diocese has cooperated fully with the investigation.

A. 19 priests are listed in the report; 12 of those priests are/were ordained or incardinated for the diocese and 7 are priests who were ministering here but from other dioceses or religious orders.

A. As stated in the AG’s report on the Diocese of Kalamazoo: “The allegations are summarized here and their inclusion does not reflect a determination by the Department that the allegations are credible or otherwise substantiated nor indicative of a crime.”

A. There are 19 priests included in the report. Of those, only two were charged. One was convicted and the other died before he was able to be extradited.

A. Yes. The grace of a sacrament comes from God, not from the priest conferring it. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1127-1128) “Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies. The Father always hears the prayer of his Son’s Church which, in the epiclesis of each sacrament, expresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. As fire transforms into itself everything it touches, so the Holy Spirit transforms into the divine life whatever is subjected to his power. This is the meaning of the Church’s affirmation that the sacraments act ex opere operato (literally: “by the very fact of the action’s being performed”), i.e., by virtue of the saving work of Christ, accomplished once for all. It follows that “the sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God.” From the moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through it, independently of the personal holiness of the minister. Nevertheless, the fruits of the sacraments also depend on the disposition of the one who receives them.”