The Unites States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has recently released the 2010 Survey or Allegations and Costs, completed by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). This in an annual audit of the bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that has been in place for nearly ten years. All dioceses and eparchies in the United States participate in this, except for the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, which refuses to do so.
In 2010, seven credible accusations against seven different priests have been documented. The numbers of such accusations continue to decline.
The survey has a lot of data that I will not try to summarize here. It is downloadable for your review at: www.usccb.org/ocyp/annual-report-2010.pdf
The Church in this country continues to respond more and more effectively to the crime and sin of sexual abuse. If only other institutions in our society would do the same… but understandably, we the Church are held to a high standard, and I welcome it.
