Policies
Protocols for Safe Environment
Westminster Abbey and the Seminary of Christ the King wish to stand as beacons of light in the darkness, illuminating a clear path forward through our comprehensive policies on sexual abuse allegations involving minors or vulnerable adults. Just as a lighthouse guides ships to safe harbor, these policies provide victim/survivors with reliable direction and hope, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences addressed with the utmost care and respect.
Our policies, which undergo regular review and updates, outline specific responsibilities toward:
- Those who may have experienced sexual abuse as minors or vulnerable adults
- Their families seeking support and healing
- Personnel and adult students who face allegations of abuse involving a minor or vulnerable adult.
Desiring to grow in this sacred stewardship and to be accountable, we are implementing comprehensive safeguarding measures aligned with the standards of Praesidium, a respected external accreditation agency.
We recognize sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults as a profound moral violation that casts deep shadows. In addressing any allegations involving our personnel or adult student body, we strive to keep our beacon steady and strong, with the victim/survivor’s safety and well-being as our guiding light.
A Synopsis of Key Points
- The Abbot’s Delegate must report known or suspected abuse of a minor to the appropriate civil authority in the Province where the abuse is alleged to have occurred in compliance with Provincial and Federal Law.
- Every allegation is reviewed, regardless of its initial plausibility or the identity of the person named in the allegation.
- If an allegation is denied by the accused, an independent investigator may be retained in a timely manner to gather information and to make a confidential report to the Abbot. The report will be forwarded by the Abbot to the External Review Board to review the findings and make a recommendation to the Abbot on whether it finds the fact of sexual abuse to be established.
- During the time the allegation is being investigated, the alleged victim and/or family will be offered pastoral support such as counseling and will be provided with contact information for our Victim/Survivor Assistance Coordinator.
- If there is a semblance of truth to an allegation and it involves a monk, the Abbot will remove the monk from all public ministry pending the completion of an investigation. The monk will also not be allowed to have any unsupervised access to minors during this investigation.
- If at any point civil authorities choose to conduct an investigation into the allegation, the Abbey will suspend its independent investigation pending the outcome of civil or criminal investigations. The Abbey will cooperate fully with appropriate provincial and federal authorities.
- If the fact of sexual abuse by a monk is not established, the case will be closed, the monk will be reinstated to any responsibilities and duties from which he was removed, and the Abbey will make every effort to restore the good name of the accused monk.
- If the allegation of sexual abuse is substantiated through the monk’s admission or the process outlined above and the monk is not subject to confinement or other restrictions under criminal law, a Safety Plan will be developed to supervise the monk’s work, travel, campus activity, and associations, and to reduce any risks posed to minors by the monk.
- The Abbey will inform any organization – including schools, parishes or civic groups – in which the monk has abused a minor. If the allegation arose in the context of ministry or employment in a diocesan entity, the Abbey will follow the policies of the diocese on pastoral responses to communities affected by the allegation.
