Charter Obligations, Responsibilities, and Accountability

Obligations, Responsibilities, and Accountability for Care, Contact and Conduct with Children and Young People… Deacons and Priests, Pastoral/School Staff Personnel, Pastoral Ministers and Volunteers

Introduction

The Nature of Pastoral Ministry

Pastoral care and pastoral ministry presupposes a particular way of relating to God and to those who are served in God’s name. The biblical concepts of "covenant" and "discipleship" are the background and the context for this manner of presence and action.

Through single acts and organized endeavors of various kinds, ordained priests and deacons, as well as lay ministers, carry out the mission of the Church by leading and supporting people to know and grow more deeply in the way of a personal relationship with God through the life and community of the Church.

Pastoral care and pastoral ministry, therefore, is an exercise of significant moral responsibility and accountability. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Luke 10:27) expresses both the vision and the strategy for pastoral care and pastoral ministry.

Ordained Ministers, Pastoral Staff, Lay Ministers

Among the members of the Church ordained priests and deacons have unique obligations, responsibilities and accountability with respect to pastoral care and ministry. Theirs is a vocation, received at the hands of a bishop, not only as baptized disciple of the Lord but as representative and leader of the community of faith. Through selfless service they strive to make Christ himself present in the experience of those served.

Through the competent and compassionate use of their own personal gifts and talents they are to strive for the continual renewal of the Body of Christ. For this reason, they are not to seek their own benefit or recognition. Instead, they are in a special way, under the inspiration of the scriptural covenants and the obligations of discipleship, to protect and serve the dignity and right relationships of each person among all persons. Embracing the principles and practices of integrity, generosity, compassion and justice ordained and lay ministers provide the faith community with gospel service and leadership.

Standards of Responsibility and Accountability

The following standards of responsibility and accountability respond to Article 6 of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. They are informed by Sacred Scripture, the special commitment associated with the vocation to ordained ministry and the professional criteria for those who dedicate themselves to the care, education and formation or safety of children and young people.

A. EXPECTATIONS OF ORDAINED AND LAY MINISTERS

• As disciples of the Lord all ministers have a responsibility for building up the Body of Christ and preserving the communion of the Church. (Canon 208 and 209)

•  All ministers, therefore, are to make a whole-hearted personal effort to lead a holy life in harmony with the gospels, represents the teaching of the Catholic Church and grow in the maturity of their human priesthood (Canon 217). In this way they become better able to promote the intellectual, emotional, psychological growth of other persons in the Church as well as an increase in holiness of life. (Canon 210)

•  Ordained ministers have a special obligation to seek and to develop holiness in their personal lives because of their sacramental vocation and unique relationship as stewards of the mysteries of God in service of His people. (Canon 276.1)

•  Ordained ministers are to exercise a primary commitment to the pastoral care of persons and to their particular pastoral ministry as activities of God’s covenant and authentic discipleship. They are to include in their commitment to pastoral care and pastoral ministry the daily celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours, annual retreats and spiritual/educational conferences, frequent celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, daily personal prayer and devotional practices. (Canon 276.2)

•  All ministers, ordained ministers in particular, are obliged to improve their skills and knowledge through additional courses of study, pastoral conferences, as well as other pastoral and professional means and methods to increase their understanding of the doctrine and discipline of the Faith as well as the skills to become and grow as an effective pastoral minister. (Canon 229, 231 and Canon 279)

•  All ministers are obliged to exercise special concern for the dignity of each person and the justice that provides for each person’s physical safety and well being, good reputation, privacy, defense and vindication of rights and a meaningful participation in the life of the community according their capacity and condition. (Canon 219, 220, 221, 222 and 223)

B. Disciplines and Practices of Ordained and Lay Ministers

•  Ordained and lay ministers exercise a unique influence upon others in pastoral care and pastoral ministry. This influence, whether in presence, activity or word, is a power whose purpose is to inspire and evoke goodness as well as encourage and promote the flourishing of goodness in others, for Christ's sake. The minister exercices both a representative and a symbolic status for the community of faith. Ordained and lay ministers are to be conscious at all times that they are always in an unequal power relationship with the people they serve because of their status.

•  Ordained and lay ministers exercise a unique authority authority in their presence and service among the members of the faith community. They exercise a commission, in their respective capacities, and are entrusted with the task of assisting the members of the faith community to know, receive and participate in the faith tradition of the community. The ordained and lay minister are to have a personal commitment for the best interests of all whom they serve, especially children and young people, and to exhibit in personal and public practices their commitment to the spiritual and practical virtues of the members of the community.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are obliged, in a special way, to a personal discipline of life that recognizes and preserves the personal and pastoral boundaries for the safe space in which each person can grow and mature. Ordained and lay ministers are never permitted to use their pastoral relationships to satisfy personal desires for attention, acceptance, prestige, profit or pleasure.

C. Areas of Responsibility and Accountability

• Ordained and lay ministers are obliged, in the exercise of pastoral care and ministry, to a respect of each person's dignity so that each individual can take his proper place in building up the community of faith and working for the coming of the kingdom of God. Parish organizations, meetings and activities are to be occasions and have environments in which the mutual respect and support of each person's participation contributions to the growth of justice, charity and peace within the faith community.

• Ordained and lay ministers are obliged to establish procedures, guidelines and practices that ensure safeguards for the successful completion of responsibilities, for the personal reputation of those involved and for the appropriate and required reports, audits or disclosures.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are obliged and accountable for establishing and maintaining proper personal and pastoral boundaries. These boundaries shall include the physical, emotional, relational and sexual aspects of interaction with staff and volunteers or in serving others in a pastoral ministry context. Ordained and lay ministers are the primary and accountable persons for establishing and maintaining personal and pastoral boundaries in all relationships and circumstances.

•  Cognizant of the dignity and particular commitments within the sacraments of marriage and Holy Orders, ordained and lay ministers are never to engage in physical intimacy or sexual contact of any form with those whom they serve.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are accountable for knowing and applying the practices contained in the personnel, administration, financial handbooks or policies designed for authentic pastoral care and ministry.

• Ordained and lay ministers are obliged to observe confidentiality in all those matters involving the personal disclosure or reputation of individuals or involving information (electronic, written or spoken) entrusted to them because of their office, position or responsibility, especially when it has a bearing on decisions or actions affecting the lives of others.

•  Confidentiality is not binding when information about clear and imminent danger to persons comes to light. Ordained or lay ministers are obliged to inform those at risk or those who know of the endangerment of others about the obligation to report to the appropriate law enforcement authority. They are obliged to notify the appropriate law enforcement authority when they learn such information themselves. When the circumstances require persons of greater skill or competence to be called upon for assistance in the pastoral circumstance, information may be shared to facilitate effective pastoral care and ministry, protecting appropriately the identity and reputation of persons involved.

•  Apart from exceptional circumstances, there can be no release or disclosure of information received or obtained in the course of pastoral care or pastoral ministry without written, informed consent of those involved.

•  Priests have a singular and unbreakable obligation to hold all matters received in the sacrament of reconciliation in strictest confidentiality. Priests are not permitted to disclose the contents of the sacrament, even with the consent of the penitent.

•  Except for the sacrament of reconciliation, all information raising a reasonable cause to believe that physical or sexual abuse of children, young people or vulnerable persons has or is taking place must be reported to law enforcement as soon as possible. A similar report is to be made to the Chancellor of the Archdiocese.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are to be mindful of the obligations and rights of parents and guardians of children and young people. Communication and collaborations with parents and guardians is essential in creating and maintaining safe environments and practices for children and young people when they are entrusted to the care of the Church.

D. Contact and Conduct with Children and Young People

•  Ordained and faithful lay ministers are obliged to know, understand and adhere to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (USCCB 2002), as well as all diocesan policies, procedures and training sessions regarding:

• Personal and pastoral boundaries.
• Safe environment practices.
• Legal determination for sexual abuse and misconduct in the State of Nebraska.
• Identification and reporting of allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct to the proper law enforcement agency and the Chancellor of the Archdiocese.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are obliged to follow recognized professional guidelines when organizing and conducting activities and events with children and young people. These shall include, but not be limited to: a team approach, no fewer than two adults when in the presence of children or young people, appropriate parental/guardian permission and authorization releases in writing, appropriate accountability structures to safeguard against compromising physical, emotional or relationship safety in every circumstance.

Ordained and lay ministers, as well as volunteers who assist them, are not to surrender their responsibility for the children and young people entrusted to them when there are visiting presenters or large numbers of people comprising many individual or smaller groups gather for special events. Special vigilance for the to the needs and safety of children and young people is to be used in these circumstances.

•  The Catholic Schools Office, the Office of Religious Formation, the Family Life Office, the Office for Education and Formation in Human Sexuality and the Archdiocesan Retreat and Conference Centers shall collaborate with the chancellor and the assistance coordinator in developing and distributing age, activity or event appropriate guidelines for the protection of children and young people as well as training materials appropriate for adults who have regular contact or responsibilities for children and young people.

E. Responsibility for Collaboration with the archdiocesan assistance coordinator

•  The archdiocesan assistance coordinator provides immediate pastoral assistance and outreach to the victims, immediate family or the affected parish/school community in the event of a report of sexual abuse or misconduct. Ordained and lay ministers are to collaborate with and give support to the Coordinator when assistance or pastoral outreach is necessary.

•  The archdiocesan assistance coordinator is not an investigator of allegations but provides pastoral care within the limits established by the response of the individual in need, the investigation of law enforcement personnel and Christian prudence.

•  Ordained and lay ministers are responsible for continuing communication with the assistance coordinator regarding maintenance and improvement in safe environment practices, training sessions for parish, school or program staff, volunteers and parents, age appropriate and sequential educational and formation activities for children and young people as well as the distribution of published literature regarding proactive and preventative measures.