It is heart-breaking to see the list of so many who have betrayed and abused innocent children in the horrific ways that are described in the report compiled from public sources and released by Anderson & Associates. The Diocese of San Jose remains resolute in our commitment to provide healing and reconciliation for the victims/survivors. This will allow us to continue the process of restoring trust that has been painfully eroded by those in positions of leadership and by being accountable and transparent for what has happened in the past in the Diocese of San Jose.
The majority of the discrepancy between the Anderson & Associates report and the Diocese of San Jose report can be attributed to religious order priests who were in Santa Clara County, but were not assigned by the bishop of San Jose or, in earlier years, by the Archbishop of San Francisco. They were assigned by their religious superiors or were subject to other superiors, such as the Ukrainian Eparchy, the Military Archdiocese (which cares for military posts, including VA hospitals) or the Diocese of Monterey. As such, the Diocese of San Jose has no personnel files for those men. Their religious orders or dioceses would have handled any report and investigation of the allegations against them and placed restrictions on their ministry if the allegations were found to be credible. See below for details on each of 18 additional names.
As is stated in FAQ#10 (see Clergy Disclosure List):
“Allegations of sexual abuse of children by religious order priests who served or resided at schools and other institutions operated not by the Diocese but by their religious order in Santa Clara County were investigated by the religious order, to which the priest belonged. In these cases, without their personnel files, we do not know whether the allegations were deemed credible and cannot responsibly release their names. The names of those clerics with credible allegations will need to be reported by the appropriate institutions. Regardless, the Diocese’ Office for Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults offers pastoral care to all victims/survivors of sexual abuse by clergy.”
Definitions of a Religious Priest and a Diocesan Priest (according to the Official Catholic Dictionary):
“Religious priests are those who are professed members of a religious order, or institute. Religious clergy live according to the rule of their respective orders. Diocesan, or secular priests, are under the direction of the local bishop.”
Here are specific reasons why the additional names compiled by Anderson & Associates from media reports, BishopAccountability.org, dioceses’ public statements, and other public sources were not included on the Diocese of San Jose’s disclosure list.
To continue with the process of transparency, accountability, and healing, the Diocese of San Jose has hired former FBI Executive Assistant Director, Dr. Kathleen McChesney, and her firm, Kinsale Management Consulting. Dr. McChesney and her team will oversee an in-depth independent review of the personnel and other files pertaining to the sexual abuse of children committed by any cleric appointed by the Bishop of San Jose or, in the years before our founding in 1981, by the Archbishop of San Francisco. As a result of the examination, there may be additional offenders identified. If so, their names will then be added to this list by the end of the year.
We encourage any victims/survivors of abuse by clergy, who have not previously come forward, to do so by contacting the local law enforcement – police department or sheriff’s office – and then to make a report to our Office for the Protection of Children at 408-983-0113 or opcva.ethicspoint.com. The identities of victims are always kept confidential. New reportsand names will be added to the list as they are deemed credible.