Diocese of Covington - Communications at 401 E. 20th Street, Covington, KY 41015-0550 US - Bishop Foys' letter to the diocese, as published in the Messenger, Aug. 29, 2003

“But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.” (2 Cor 4:7) St. Paul, in his second letter to the early Christian Community of Corinth, refers to his ministry as a “treasure” held in an “earthen vessel.” The same is true of every ministry and minister in the Church even today. It is surely a treasure and it is just as surely held in an earthen vessel. In the previous verses of this Chapter 4, St. Paul speaks about his preaching. He makes crystal clear that “we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.” (2 Cor 4:5) The message is that of Jesus. We who preach do so in Jesus’ Name, unworthy though we may be. The treasure of our ministry is indeed held in earthen vessels. Perhaps this has never been more recognized or understood so clearly as in this past year and a half in the United States. We have all been saddened and yes, even shocked, at the reports of abuse of children by priests. If ever it were clear that this treasure which is our ministry is held in earthen vessels, in vessels of clay, it is clear now. A flood of emotions has swept over us from outrage to heartbreak, from disbelief to disgust. We have seen victims of sexual abuse come forward with heart-wrenching stories, stories which many held in their hearts, for many, many years. Unfortunately, our Diocese of Covington has not been exempt from instances of abuse of children by priests. When I arrived here as the tenth Bishop of Covington just one year ago, I began an immediate investigation into this matter. I was pleased to find that a policy for addressing the sexual abuse of minors had been initiated in our Diocese as early as 1985. In 1994 a Diocesan Committee for Addressing Sexual Misconduct was formed. This committee revised and updated the policies and procedures regarding sexual misconduct in 1995 and again in 2000. In light of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at their June 2002 meeting, I am now promulgating a revised edition of our Diocesan policies and procedures for dealing with sexual misconduct for all parishes, offices and agencies of the Diocese of Covington, effective immediately. I am directing that meetings be scheduled to familiarize Diocesan personnel with the revisions of our policies. In accordance with the Norms for the Protection of Children and Young People, I have appointed Ms. Margaret M. Schack, our Diocesan Chancellor, as the Victims Assistance Coordinator. Ms. Schack will coordinate assistance for the immediate pastoral care of persons who report having been sexually abused when they were minors by priests or deacons. Every report will be taken seriously and be heard. As Bishop, I am your shepherd and your father and I take seriously this responsibility. My heart aches for any victim of child abuse, especially for those who were abused as minors by priests of this Diocese. Too often, the response of the Diocese to victims of child sexual abuse was inadequate. In the name of the Diocese of Covington, I apologize to you, ask your forgiveness and pray for reconciliation and healing. I have been meeting individually with victims to convey this apology and my commitment to their healing personally. I encourage anyone who was abused as a child by a priest or employee of this Diocese to contact Ms. Schack to schedule a private pastoral meeting with me. These meetings have been very valuable to me and, I hope, to the victims with whom I have met. I have asked my Chancery staff to prepare a report of the history of the sexual abuse of minors in this Diocese. I share that report with you at this time. The report includes reported incidences of sexual abuse of minors as well as financial expenditures made in connection with such abuse. The report spans the last fifty years of our Diocese. This report is a painful reality, but one which we must face and one about which we must be open. Along with this report, I have directed that you be provided with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, The Essential Norms and the Statement of Episcopal Commitment from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops along with our own revised Diocesan Policies and Procedures for Dealing with Sexual Misconduct. I am grateful to my Chancery staff for providing this report. I also express my gratitude to the Diocesan Committee for Addressing Sexual Misconduct for the conscientious manner in which it has carried out, and continues to carry out, its charge. I assure you that, as far as humanly possible, we will do all we can to ensure that there are no further instances of child abuse by priests, deacons, religious and church employees in our Diocese. I can assure you now that, to the best of my knowledge, there is no priest in public ministry in the Diocese of Covington who has abused a minor. I am also pleased to report that we have just completed our audit as called for in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Following St. Paul’s claim that we possess our ministry, this treasure, in earthen vessels, he goes on to say: “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Cor 4:8-11) Although our Church is afflicted by this terrible scourge of sexual abuse of minors, let us not be constrained in teaching and preaching, in believing and fostering the Word of the Lord. Let our faith not be destroyed, but rather let us pray to the Lord of all life that our faith be strengthened and deepened by this adversity so that we emerge a purified and even stronger force for good in the world. When I was named the tenth Bishop of Covington, I chose as my episcopal motto: Lux Luceat Vestra, Let Your Light Shine. I chose this motto, taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew (Matt 5:16), because I firmly believed that now, perhaps more than ever, our light, the light of our faith, needs to shine in the darkness. The passage from St. Matthew goes on to say that we must let our light shine “before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” May all of us as sons and daughters of the same God, as brothers and sisters, let our light shine so that the darkness is vanquished and we may all glorify our heavenly Father. I assure you of my prayers and I ask for your prayers for all the victims of sexual abuse. I also ask for your prayers for those priests who minister to you daily and who grieve over the present state of this crisis. May God bless you and those you love.

Yours devotedly in the Lord,

Most Reverend Roger J. Foys, D. D.

Bishop of Covington