With the announcement of its official name, the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute (ISTI), and the naming of its executive director, Father Roman Paur, the board of directors of the institute began its 3 May planning meeting.
Initiated in August 1993 by Abbot Timothy Kelly and university president Brother Dietrich Reinhart, the 23-member ISTI board is composed of persons professionally dedicated to the area of healing and the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation by clergy of any denomination. Dr. Patrick Carnes, therapist and author of books on sexual abuse, served as interim director of the project before another alumnus, A W Richard Sipe, was elected chair for two years.
The abbey will host two summer meetings with members of the national organization LINKUP on 17-19 June and a larger meeting 4-7 August.
Among the board’s other concerns in its May meeting were a proposal for ways to fund the institute, the first of its kind in the nation; the selection of an executive committee that will guide future development of the institute; formulation of a mission statement; initial planning of a series of publications by The Liturgical Press-along with the appointment of Father Roman as on-site ISTI director.
Former vice president of student affairs in the college (1980-92), Father Roman has been a member of Saint John’s Abbey since 1959, was ordained a priest in 1966 and received a master of divinity degree from our school of theology in 1970. He did his master’s work in clinical psychology at Loyola College, Baltimore, MD, and earned a doctoral degree in counseling psychology from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., in 1976. He directed the residential programs at Saint John’s from 1976-1982.
Father Roman Appointed, ISTI Named 1994
Abbey Quarterly
Spring, 1994
