In the settlement announced on Monday, victims who previously settled with St. John’s were released from the confidentiality clauses contained within those agreements.
If you were a victim of misconduct, we invite you to tell your story (while maintaining your anonymity) in an effort to inform the public and hold St. John’s accountable.
Per the settlement, the Order of Saint Benedict agrees to perform the following non-monetary actions:
A. Website – The Order of Saint Benedict will more prominently display sexual abuse information and the website will be structured to provide a place to post a mutually agreeable letter describing this settlement and survivors’ stories.
B. Safety Violations – The Order of Saint Benedict will continue to bring safety violations with minors to the attention of the External Review Board for their Review
C. Confidentiality Agreements – The Order of Saint Benedict herewith abrogates any confidentiality agreements that might exist in settlements it has entered in to subject to the right of the other settling parly(ies) to maintain that confidentiality agreement if he, she or they desire to do so and agrees to post this on the Abbey’s website.
D. Abbey Policy on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and Questionnaire. The Order of Saint Benedict will institute a policy of requiring all members of the Abbey working on outside assignments or with minors or in an Abbey leadership position to sign an Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Abbey Policy on Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation and a Background Questionnaire Concerning Sexual Abuse.
E. Public Statement of Misconduct – If allegations against a monk who is or has serviced in a parish are found to be credible, a prepared statement will be read at all the Sunday masses if approved by the Diocese in which the parish is located. If the allegation involves an incident that took place in a parish, a parish meeting for the parishioners will be held if approved by the Diocese in which the parish is located. The meeting should be limited to parishioners. Along with the pastor who chairs the meeting’s the Abbot, a representative of the diocese, and the sexual abuse victim’s advocates should be present.
