Denver, Colo., Jun 15, 2004 / 22:00 pm
At their spring meeting yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted 207-14 in favor of a national on-site audit of all dioceses and eparchies, which will form the basis of the second annual report on the implementation of the Charter for Child and Youth Protection.
This audit is to be completed by Dec. 31.
The charter, which the bishops had approved in June 2002, requires that the Office of Child and Youth Protection compile the annual report and help regions develop “appropriate mechanisms to audit adherence” to the charter’s policies.
The bishops also directed the Office of Child and Youth Protection to oversee, in consultation with the USCCB’s Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse, annual national audits until the next review of the charter. The review process is to begin shortly.