Promise to Protect and Promote Healing

Archdiocese publicized written child protection policies and established an independent review board. The Archdiocese begins reporting all allegations of child sexual abuse, regardless of age, in response to the Maryland Attorney General’s new guidance requiring mandatory reporting of historic allegations.

Archdiocese permanently removed Joseph Maskell from ministry following credible allegations of child sexual abuse against him. 

The Baltimore Sun reports that Maskell is interviewed by the police about the allegations.

Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People is promulgated.

Archdiocese apologizes for the abuse committed by ministers of the Church and discloses the names of all credibly accused clergy, and money spent as a result of clergy abuse in a letter sent to all registered parishioners and on the website. View the most updated version of this list here.

Archdiocese requires mandatory screening and training policies for employees and volunteers and safe environment education for children. Archdiocese establishes a new Office of Child & Youth Protection and hires the first lay Director and Victim Assistance Coordinator of the Office.

Archdiocese hosts a healing and atonement service in acknowledgment of the pain and harm caused to victims-survivors. November (CR article)

The first national audit is conducted by an outside firm and commends the Archdiocese for full compliance with the Charter.

2004 USCCB OCYP Annual Report

Archdiocese begins offering mediated financial settlements to victims-survivors regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.

Contract with Shield the Vulnerable for online training and compliance management.  Training to be updated every 5 years. (In 2017 VIRTUS replaces Shield the Vulnerable.)

Archdiocese supports legislation allowing victims more time to file civil lawsuits in cases of child sexual abuse (passed in 2017) and legislation for child protection education in all schools (passed in 2018). 

“Baltimore archbishop outlines path toward reform and renewal in the Catholic Church” (Baltimore Sun)

Maryland Attorney General’s investigation of child sexual abuse in Maryland begins.

All employees/clergy must complete child protection refresher training annually.

Archdiocese adds names of priests included in the report by the Pennsylvania Attorney General with ties to Maryland to the archdiocesan list of credibly accused clergy.

Archdiocese adds names of 23 deceased priests already reported to law enforcement to its list of credibly accused clergy. (National Catholic Reporter)

Archdiocese becomes the first diocese in the U.S. to implement a third-party reporting system for allegations against its bishops.

Archdiocese adopts a new reporting system of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for allegations against bishops, appoints Terrance Sheridan, retired law enforcement officer in Maryland, to independently receive reports against its bishops and to ensure compliance with the new reporting system.

In response to the pandemic, the Archdiocese created “Messages that Protect,” online child protection lessons made available to parents and teachers for use in virtual classroom settings for students in grades K-8, in English and Spanish. In addition, the Archdiocese conducted safe environment training for guidance counselors and teachers about keeping children safe during virtual classes and the importance of vigilance and reporting during times of social distancing/isolation.

Voice of the Faithful ranks the Archdiocese 3rd (out of 177 dioceses) in its annual report measuring abuse prevention and safe environment programs in the United States. (Catholic Review)

Diocesan victim advocates say they’re on healing quest for abuse survivors