LOUISVILLE, KY – Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., has named nine individuals to serve on the Archdiocese of Louisville Sexual Abuse Review Board. This Board was formed to satisfy Article 2 of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in June. The Charter defines a threefold task for diocesan review boards:
- To assess allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests, deacons and other Church personnel in order to advise the diocesan bishop on whether or not the allegations appear to be credible.
- To prepare a recommendation for the Bishop concerning an individual’s fitness to continue in ministry.
- To review diocesan policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse and to recommend to the bishop any modifications if necessary.
The members are of the Board are:
- Dr. Paulette F. Adams, Professor of Nursing, University of Louisville
- Dr. Jean D. Koehler, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Mr. John Laun, Attorney and Former Judge
- Ms. Lynnie Meyer, President, The Center for Women and Families
- Dr. Brian B. Reynolds, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Louisville
- Reverend Paul Scaglione, Director, Office of Pastoral Care, Archdiocese of Louisville
- Very Reverend J. Mark Spalding, Judicial Vicar, Archdiocese of Louisville
- Dr. Gerald F. Sturgeon, Pediatrician
Mr. Laun will serve as chair.
According to Archbishop Kelly, “Our goal was to gather professionals from a variety of disciplines, including law, medicine, child welfare, victim advocacy and therapy. I am very impressed with the expertise and conviction that each member brings to this issue, and I look forward to working with the Board.”
The Board will gather for an initial orientation meeting within a few weeks. The first major task will be to review and approve the new sex abuse policies for the Archdiocese.
For Further Information, Call: Cecelia Price, 502/585-3291.
