PITTSBURGH _ A Pennsylvania Catholic diocese of Altoona-Johnstown agreed with federal prosecutors Monday on formal policies designed to detect and prevent sexual abuse by priests.
The memorandum of understanding, while lacking the enforcement power of a court order, commits the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown to completely replace the board it uses to review allegations and to rely to a greater extent on experts.
The diocese was the subject of a withering state grand jury report a year ago. The report criticized what it termed a pattern of covering up sexual abuse of hundreds of minors by more than 50 priests and others associated with the church, mostly in the last half of the 20th century.
But this agreement resulted from a parallel investigation by federal prosecutors that resulted in a diocesan priest, the Rev. Joseph Maurizio, being sentenced last year for sexually abusing two boys during missionary trips to Honduras.
Acting U.S. Attorney Soo Song said her office looked into "every possible legal theory to be sure children in this diocese were made safe." Her predecessor, David Hickton, had publicly floated the possibility of investigating under statutes targeting organized crime.
In the end, "We didn't need to get to a court action," said Song, calling the diocese a "willing partner."
Song said she was unaware of any precedent involving such agreements between a Catholic diocese and federal prosecutors. In the past, some state prosecutors, including in Arizona, New Hampshire and Minnesota, have investigated alleged cover-up of abuse in Catholic dioceses and ultimately reached agreements mandating changes in those dioceses' policies on responding to and preventing abuse.
Song did not indicate her office would be investigating any other dioceses, but she said she would be willing to consult with them. "It's certainly our hope that this agreement would be a model," she said.
And while the agreement is not legally binding, Bishop Mark Bartchak said he would abide by it and expected his successors would, too.
"By putting this all out in the public, I can't possibly shrink from what we're committing to, and I don't intend to," he said. "... God help a bishop who comes later to try and undo that, because it's important we keep on the path to do all we can to protect children."
He said the diocese would be updating the list on its website of priests who have been credibly accused.
The agreement establishes a board to oversee the diocese's implementation and enforcement of its policies and issue annual reports for up to 10 years.
The diocese also will reconstitute a separate board that reviews allegations of abuse by priests. It will include a Lutheran psychologist and a married Orthodox priest experienced in youth ministry.
Such review boards are mandated under nationwide Catholic policy adopted by bishops in 2002 at the peak of revelations involving cover-ups of abuse by priests. The state grand jury report criticized the Altoona-Johnstown diocese's use of the review board as being more focused on damage control on behalf of the diocese than in helping victims.
Batchak said in some ways the terms of the agreement with prosecutors may exceed the church's own requirements.
The diocese also will retain a consultant recommended by the U.S. attorney's office, appoint a director of youth protection and pay for counseling for victims by therapists the victims choose.
