AUDIT UPDATE: The audit that was to be completed the week of June 12th has continued and is expected to be completed by late September. The reason for the extension is the auditor's detailed review of files, review of policies and procedures and interviews. If you would like to make a comment to the auditors, please contact them at: audit@thecapuchins.org. Other questions about the audit, contact Amy Peterson.
This page contains documents pertaining to sexual abuse or misconduct. Click below on the document title you wish to view/print.
The spokesperson for the St. Joseph Province on matters related to sexual abuse/misconduct is Amy Peterson, director of the Office of Pastoral Care & Conciliation.
Contact Information:
Amy Peterson 1927 N. Fourth St. Milwaukee WI 53212 Phone: 414.374.8841, Ext. 22 apetersonwi@gmail.com Secured FAX: 414.409.7039
If you, or anyone you know, has experienced abuse by a friar, employee or volunteer for the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, no matter where or when, we urge you to: call law enforcement to submit a report; contact the police or sheriff's office where the abuse occurred: www.usacops.com
You may also choose to contact the director of the Office of Pastoral Care and Conciliation who will take your report and explain any special supportive services available. The director will provide a compassionate response to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse from a person in a position of trust within the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph. The information you provide will be forwarded to the law enforcement agency in the county where the abuse occurred.
Reporting abuse is never easy. We have created a process which is as safe and confidential as possible, given legal requirements.
Three most important things to remember: 1. You are never alone 2. It is never your fault 3. Healing is possible
Statement of Policies and Practices in Response to Sexual Misconduct and Abuse Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph (Updated November, 2011)
As brothers of St. Francis of Assisi, the friars of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph reverence all creatures, especially children who hold a special place in God’s affection.
For this reason the province supports the United States Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, and has taken steps to comply with and implement its recommendations. The province’s Misconduct Policy and its practices covering effective responses to allegations, reconciliation, accountability, and the protection of children and youth in provincial ministries have been reviewed and updated.
The province affirms the monitoring, auditing, and public reporting functions built into the USCCB Charter implementation.. In addition, we work with the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) and Praesidium - a nationally recognized leader in risk reduction programs - to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures used to prevent and address sexual misconduct conform to the highest available standards.
Our Province has been accredited by Praesidium since 2007. The mission of the province’s Office of Pastoral Care and Conciliation (OPCC) is to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, particularly the sexual abuse of minors, in ways that are effective, pastoral, compassionate, and accountable. The office has a fulltime director who is assisted by a friar liaison. The director also coordinates the review board that is used by the province.
We know that there have been times when children and youth entrusted to our care have been harmed. We acknowledge that sexual abuse of a minor is a crime. We apologize to those who have been abused by one of our friars. A number of those friars are deceased, while others have left the Capuchin order. Others remain Capuchins but are under supervision and safety plans.
The St. Joseph province reaffirms the Gospel values of charity and respect for the dignity of every person; and we again acknowledge that those who profess a vowed life are not above the frailty and sinfulness that are part of the human condition.
Therefore, we are committed to decisively responding to any instance in which our brothers have abused the trust that others have placed in them and us. We are committed to working hard to restore that trust as the wisdom, grace, and justice of God direct us to do.
PRAESIDIUM, INC. is the national leader in abuse risk management.
Caring for people is serious business. And with all the issues you face, nothing can be more devastating to your organization than an incident or allegation of abuse by an employee, volunteer, member of the clergy, or by another program participant.
At Praesidium, our mission is to create safe environments: environments that protect the children, elderly, or vulnerable adults you serve from abuse; environments that protect your employees, volunteers, and clergy from false allegations of abuse; and environments that protect your organization from loss of reputation and financial ruin.
Praesidium is built upon more than two decades of research and experience in institutional abuse prevention, psychology, law, and human resource management.
The "Safety Bulletins" below are offered to help you keep your environment safe. You are encouraged to download, print, post and distribute these bulletins.
