Report on Eparchy’s Audit by USCCB

On September 17-21, 2007, the Eparchy of St. Nicholas underwent its annual audit to evaluate its compliance with certain mandates contained in the Charter promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in June 2002 for the protection of children and youth.

This year’s audit examined the Eparchy’s obligations under all articles of the Charter. For example, the audit included an examination whether there were any new allegations of misconduct. During the reportable period of December 11, 1005 to June 30, 2007, the Eparchy had received no new allegations of any misconduct falling within the purview of the Charter. This year’s audit also examined whether every priest, deacon, employee, teacher, and volunteer in each parish has undergone the requisite background checks and safe environment training. The audit also included a detailed examination of the Eparchy’s Review Board, which serves as a confidential advisory panel for Bishop Richard on matters related to the Charter. As in the past, the audit included extensive interviews of Bishop Richard, Father Mykhailo Kuzma, the Vicar for the Office of Child and Youth Protection, and other Eparchy officials, including the Chairman of the Review Board.

Audit of Schools and Local Parishes

Unlike previous years, this year’s audit also included on-site audits of our schools: St. Nicholas School in Chicago and Immaculate Conception Schools in Warren, MI. Each of these schools was visited by auditors to determine whether all children were provided safe environment training. The audit also included an examination of school records and interviews with school officials. It is our understanding that the schools did very well in the audit and the school officials are commended for the time and hard work they dedicated to preparing for this audit.

This year’s audit also included for the first time an on-site audit of certain local parishes: Dormition of the Mother of God, Phoenix, AZ; Immaculate Conception Church, Hamtramck, MI; St. Constantine’s Church, Minneapolis, MN; St. Josaphat’s Church; Warren, MI; and St. Nicholas Cathedral, Chicago, Il. Each of these parishes underwent an audit last Fall, which included a review of parish records and an extensive interview of the pastor. The focus of the pastor’s interviews dealt with their familiarity with the Eparchy’s Sexual Abuse Policy and the articles of the Charter. The audit also included a review of the pertinent records evidencing that all persons who have contact with minors had the requisite background check and whether they had undergone safe environment training. It is our understanding that all of the pastors passed the audit and are commended for their preparation for this audit.

The Eparchy had another parish, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in San Diego, CA, which was also scheduled for an audit, but this audit needed to be cancelled. Prior to the audit, the Eparchy learned that there would be parishioners present at the audit to object to the use of the Child Lures Training program, a safe environment training program previously approved by Bishop Richard for use in certain parishes where children were receiving religious education but where there was no safe environment training given in the public schools. Upon receiving this notification, the Eparchy cancelled the audit of the San Diego parish because Bishop Richard had not been made aware of any objections to the Child Lures program nor given the courtesy of hearing these objections, so he could address this matter. The pastor was instructed to cancel such training for children belonging to any parents who objected to the use of the Child Lures program. The pastor was sent a detailed memorandum setting forth the reasons why the Child Lures program was selected. The memorandum included the reference that this program has been in use in approximately 30 other dioceses in the United States.

Safe Environment Training for Children and Youth

Article 12 of the Charter requires that each diocese/eparchy provide safe environment training for its children and youth. As of June 30, 2007, St. Nicholas Eparchy had approximately 372 children in our schools and about 70 children in parish religious education in states where no safe environment training is provided in the public schools. In these schools and parishes, Bishop Richard directed in December 2005 that such training occur through the use of the Child Lures training program. The audit examined whether this training actually occurred. The Eparchy passed the audit with respect to the training of these children.

At the audit we learned that the Eparchy also had to account for children in parishes providing religious education in states where safe environment training is given in the public schools. As of June 30, 2007, the Eparchy had an additional 179 children in this category. Although the auditor gave the Eparchy ample time to obtain this information from the parishes, we simply were unable to secure sufficient cooperation from the parishes in this regard. For example, two of the parishes involved, Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish and St. Joseph’s Parish, both in Chicago, did not respond to the Eparchy’s request for this information. Another parish, Protection of the Mother of God, Houston, Texas, did not respond until December 17, 2007, well after the deadline set by the auditor. Since the Eparchy was unable to determine whether children in this category had actually received safe environment training in the public schools, we have been notified that the Eparchy will be receiving a “deficiency” in this area. This notice requires that the Eparchy ensure that these children in the public schools have actually received safe environment training by June 30, 2008.

The audit also requested that, with respect to the training given in the public schools, the Eparchy evaluate the public school programs to ensure that they are consistent with Catholic teachings. We advised the auditor that the Eparchy does not have the resources to evaluate each program taught in the school districts where our parishioners may be located. Our Eparchy has 46 parishes and missions located in many of the major cities in the Western half of the United States. There are at least 1,000 school districts located in their metropolitan areas.

We intend to remedy this deficiency by the Eparchy providing its own safe environment training for these children. This will also obviate the need for the Eparchy evaluating programs being used in the public schools. Dr. Linda Hryhorczuk, Chair of the Eparchy’s Task Force on Children, has recommended a faith-based program developed by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and used in other dioceses. We have received copyright permission to use this program and it is currently being customized for our Eparchy. This program will be used in those parishes where we previously have had to account for and evaluate public school training. This program will also be made available to other parishes.

In closing, please note that our audit on the whole was highly successful. Every year our audit requires the collective effort of all pastors and assisting staff and volunteers to compile and submit very detailed reports to the Eparchy and we acknowledge their hard work in ensuring that the Eparchy is in compliance with the mandates of the Charter. Last year’s audit, however, could not have been successful without the work done by Mr. Daniel Szymanski, a staff member of the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation (UCEF), a public charity in Chicago which engages in fund-raising for the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine. Mr. Szymanski, who holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, dedicated many days and weekends between August and December, 2007, in compiling information on our 46 parishes and missions for the audit. He also represented the Eparchy at the audit. Mr. Szymanski performed this work in a highly exemplary manner and with the full support of the UCEF. Mr. Szymanski is commended for his hard work and dedication on behalf of the Eparchy.

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Judge Lubomyr M. Jachnycky is a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hamtramck, MI. He also serves as Chairman of the Bishop’s Advisory Committee.