Grants awarded at DPAA celebration reception, wrapping up 2022 campaign

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Maura Baker, Staff Writer

 Supporters of the Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal (DPAA) gathered for a reception in the Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, Covington, Aug. 25, to celebrate the success of the 2022 campaign. Service grants were also awarded as a component of this reception, wherein schools, parishes and charitable organizations within the Diocese received funds to continue to serve the people of the Diocese of Covington. 

In attendance at the dinner were donors and grant recipients, but also DPAA leaders such as Mike Murray, director, Office of Stewardship and Mission; Bishop John Iffert of the Diocese of Covington; Karen Riegler, 2022 DPAA general chair and Matt Hollenkamp, 2022 DPAA leadership gifts chair. 

“Our gifted pledges today total $3,820,976,” announced Mrs. Riegler at the reception. This year, 44 of the 53 diocesan parishes met or exceeded their DPAA contribution goals, and 42 parishes, schools and agencies were rewarded grants totalling in $265,000 for 56 different projects. 

“It’s amazing this journey that we’re on,” said Mr. Hollenkamp about the success of this year’s campaign. Continuing, he announced, “Our largest gift (this year) was $40,000. As of this week, we had over 1,100 contributors who have given $1,000 or more, totalling $2.3 million plus… this whole process has taught me just the generosity of our diocese. I’m just so impressed. It makes me feel so good and so blessed to live here in our diocese, and I can’t wait for next year.” 

“It’s all about supporting the Church, reaching out with works of charity,” said Bishop Iffert about the DPAA campaign. “You are responding to needs with your hands, with your minds, with your hearts, your whole self, directly… thank you to all the parishes, organizations and people who get your hands dirty, and make a difference.” 

At the end of the reception, Bishop Iffert announced that Matt Hollenhamp, who served as the Leadership Gifts Chair this year, will serve as the General Chair in 2023 DPAA campaign. 

Photo: Karen Riegler, 2022 DPAA general chair; Bishop John Iffert and Matt Hollenkamp, 2022 DPAA leadership gifts chair; stand for a photo at the 2022 DPAA celebration reception. 

Father Mark Keene and Deacon Jim Fortner begin new leadership roles in diocese

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Laura Keener, Editor

The month of August opened and closed with two top positions being filled at the Curia. Bishop John Iffert has appointed Father Mark Keene vicar general and Deacon James Fortner chief operating officer for the Diocese of Covington.

“I look forward to collaborating with Father Keene and Deacon Fortner in leading the Curia staff and serving parishes of the Diocese of Covington,” said Bishop Iffert. “I am personally grateful for their willingness to put their substantial pastoral and leadership skills at the service of this local Church.”

Father Keene was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Covington in 1984 by Bishop William Hughes. In addition to his new assignment as vicar general, Father Keene’s current assignments include: pastor, St. Agnes Parish, Ft. Wright; pastoral administrator, Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills; dean, Northern Kenton County Deanery; and member of the Presbyteral Council and Priest Retirement Fund Committee.

Previous assignments included associate pastor, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Ft. Thomas (1984–1987); and St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs (1987–1993); pastor, St. Benedict Parish, Covington (1993–1999) and chaplain, Covington Latin School (1997–1999).

A Louisville native, Father Keene attended Holy Spirit Parish and Holy Trinity High School where he earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Kentucky playing football. At UK, he was recognized as an Academic All-American and his team won the Peach Bowl. Upon graduating Phi Beta Kappa from UK in 1979, Father Keene studied pre-theology at St. Pius X Seminary, Erlanger, completing his seminary studies at Mt. St. Mary Seminary, Cincinnati.

The role of Vicar General is a canonical appointment in the Catholic Church. The Code of Canon Law requires a bishop to appoint at least one vicar general “who is provided with ordinary power … and who is to assist him in the governance of the whole diocese.” (475)

Bishop Roger Foys ordained Jim Fortner a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Covington in 2019. He is assigned to his home parish, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Ft. Mitchell.

Prior to being name COO for the diocese, Deacon Fortner was assigned campus minister at Covington Catholic High School. At Blessed Sacrament Parish he has taught in the Parish School of Religion, led the “That Man Is You” men’s spiritual development program and trained Altar Servers. Other responsibilities in the Diocese have included spiritual director, Cursillo; ministering at Madonna Manor; and preparing couples for the sacrament of marriage.

He and his wife, Julie, have been married for 34 years. They have been blessed with five children and five grandchildren, with two more expected by the end of this year.

Deacon Fortner received a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics and Information Systems from Northern Kentucky University in 1987 and a Masters in Finance from St. Louis University in 1989. In 2003 he earned a Lay Ministry Development Certificate from the Diocese of Covington. He com- pleted his diaconate studies in 2019 at The Athenaeum of Ohio, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. Deacon Fortner is a life-long learner and continues to take classes at The Athenaeum of Ohio, on track to earn his Masters in Theology in 2023.

After 29 years at Procter and Gamble, most recently as senior vice president, chief information officer for Supply Chain, Research and

Development and Procurement Services Worldwide, Deacon Fortner retired in 2018. After his retirement and until 2021, he developed his own consulting firm, JAF Business Services Strategic Consultant, serving over 75 companies worldwide to improve business services.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a new position developed by Bishop John Iffert to directly collaborator with the Bishop and Vicar General in planning and implementing goals in every pastoral and administrative area. The COO directs and supervises the offices of the Curia. Deacon Fortner will begin his new assignment as COO for the Diocese of Covington, Aug. 29.

Gone but Not Forgotten: MLB Unmarked Graves Project honors former Reds player Henry ‘Hank’ Gastright with a new headstone installed in Wilder cemetery

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Maura Baker, Staff Writer

A crowd gathered to the Diocese of Covington’s St. Joseph Cemetery in Wilder for the installation of a headstone attributed to former Cincinnati Reds player, Henry “Hank” Gastright — whose grave was left unmarked until Aug. 18.

Those gathered included not only the descendants and family of the late baseball player, who passed away over 80 years ago in 1937, but also members of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and their associated historic baseball team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings.

The idea to install headstones for these long-past baseball players was the brainchild of David Shannon, along with his partner Thomas Bucher, in a project they titled “Gone but Not Forgotten.”

“I enjoy visiting cemeteries, walking around reading grave- stones … I also love the history of Major League Baseball. I have discovered that some people think one or both of these activities are a bit odd,” said Mr. Shannon as he addressed those gathered for the headstone’s installation. “But, I’ve also found that there are many people who share the same interests.”

Hank Gastright’s headstone would be the second successful installation of Mr. Shannon and Mr. Bucher’s project, the first of which being the headstone for Theodore “Huck” Conover, another baseball player buried in an unmarked grave in Lexington, Ky. Both of these projects were funded by donations from supporters of the “Gone but Not Forgotten: MLB Unmarked Graves Project.”

Mr. Shannon thanked Brian Harvey, associate director, Buildings and Properties Office, who oversees several key cemeteries in the Diocese of Covington, for his contributions and support of this project.

“He is the one who has been my contact for getting permission and getting everything done. Brian appreciated what we are doing enough that he himself made a sizable contribution to our cause,” said Mr. Shannon, “So, we appreciate Brian Harvey and the staff here at the Diocese of Covington.”

Image: C&C Monuments, a company based in Lebanon, Tenn., installs the new headstone constructed for former Cincinnati Reds player, Henry “Hank” Gastright. The specially crafted monument features a baseball bat and glove and bears the signature tagline “Gone but not Forgotten.”

Diocese of Covington welcomes pro-life initiative ‘Walking with Moms in Need,’ aiming to ‘walk in the shoes’ of vulnerable mothers and families

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Maura Baker, Staff Writer

Parish representatives and pro-life allies of the Diocese of Covington gathered, Aug. 10, to discuss new and ongoing initiatives in the diocese to support mothers and families in a post-Dobbs community.

The Supreme Court decision on Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade and delegated the decision of abortion to individual states and their representa- tives, was a major step in ensuring the sanctity of life from natural conception.

However, in the wake of this decision, Bishop Iffert recognizes the needs of mothers and families in need and hopes to continue to assist in ensuring the safety and stability of both mother and child with the new initiative, Walking with Moms in Need.

Established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Walking with Moms in Need is described as “an opportunity for a time of service in which Catholic parishes and communities ‘walk in the shoes’ of local pregnant and parenting women and families in need.”

The initiative aims to “see parishes come together to help mothers and families in their own parish community,”and it began with the August 10 meeting, where Faye Roch, director of Pro-life Office for the Diocese of Covington, invited the gathered members of the community to take part in proceeding with this initiative in their parish and local communities.

“You can use whatever gifts that you have within your parish to place at the service of this mission,” said Mrs. Roch, encouraging parishioners to work with their parishes and pro-life leaders to participate in helping mothers. “And you know, our parishes are just so full of so many gifts, we have people who have so many different gifts and talents.”

“Thank you all for being willing to consider what your parishes might do to be a part of (Walking with Moms and Need), and what your parishes might always be doing,” said Bishop Iffert, “we’re going to put our resources where our mouth is!”

Resources for Walking with Moms in Need can be found online at https://covdio.org/pro-life/ or at https://www.walkingwithmoms.com/.

Photo: Faye Roch, director, Pro-Life Office, addresses community members gathered, Aug. 10, for a meeting discussing new and ongoing pro-life initiatives in the Diocese of Covington.

St. Patrick Parish celebrates 175 years among “a great cloud of witnesses”

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Laura Keener, Editor

St. Patrick Parish, Maysville, kicked-off a year- long celebration of the parish’s 175th anniversary, Aug. 14, with Mass celebrated by Bishop John Iffert. Concelebrating priests included Father Andrew Young, pastor and parish son; Father Michael Black, parochial vicar; Father Joseph Gallenstein, parish son; and Father Albert Ruschman. A reception was held after Mass.

Reflecting on the day’s Second Reading “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,” (Heb 12:1-4) Bishop Iffert encouraged parishioners to share the stories of those parishioners who had come before them.

“I hope over this next year, as you celebrate your 175th, you will turn to the stories of the lives of those people who have come before us,” Bishop Iffert said. “Here in the 175 years of St. Patrick Parish, there must be those who knew the Scriptures inside and out and who lived them and who inspired you and others.

“There must be teachers who served here at St. Patrick’s Church who lived the faith and shared that with the coming generation.

“There must be parents who poured themselves out for the love of their children, dutifully passing on their faith to their loved ones.

“There must be those who cared for the sick during time of plague, time of epidemic, even at the risk of their own lives, who lived that love of Jesus Christ.

“There must be those here this place, where Catholics are minority, facing bias and the discrimination of community members around them, and with kindness and love they gave witness to the Catholic faith and formed those relationships with our Christian neighbors.

“There must be those pastors who led this com- munity with faith and diligence, with courage and devotion and love.

“There must be those people who practice generosity and were always there to care for the needs of the poor.

“There must be people who suffered losses and suffering and came through their own dark night and then found the courage in the Lord Jesus Christ to accompany others in their grief.

“There must be these holy people and examples and saints here in the life of St. Patrick Parish. I encourage you this year to raise them up, to talk about them, to share those stories; not only to remember them but also to understand that they are the crowd of witnesses with love for you and your own success and your own faithfulness and your own living out the fire of the Holy Spirit. You are supported by this cloud of witnesses who are there in the stands cheering you on as you run this race of endurance.”

Comparing those founding ancestors to an overly enthusiastic parent cheering on their child at a soccer game, Bishop Iffert said, “they are praying for us and shouting for us and encouraging us and singing hymns of praise. They’re here in this church with us today; this church is filled with saints and angels who accompany us and they are with you with every day of your lives when we have to make every little moral decision that is set before us. We’re not alone. Here in this parish we have more than 175 years of those examples.”

Father Young thanked Bishop Iffert for celebrating Mass and presented him with a gift from the parish — a miter. Bishop Iffert thanked the people for their generos- ity, acknowledging that the miter and crosier he was using that day was also gifted to him from the parish at his installation as Bishop of Covington. As a gift from the diocese on the celebration of the parish’s 175th anniversary and in acknowledging its German heritage (in addition to its Irish heritage), Bishop

Iffert presented Father Young with a relic of St. Boniface. St. Boniface was an English Benedictine monk whose mission and ministry in the eighth century to the German people gave him the popular title as “Apostle to the Germans.”

In a telephone interview, Aug. 16, Father Young said that a hallmark of St. Patrick Parish and its greatest strength is its family community.

“We try to cultivate a family environment with the school and with the parish,” Father Young said. “We all work together and we continue to build up what we have. I like to emphasize to people that this is a real gem that we’ve received from our ancestors and those who came before us and now it’s our job to maintain and grow and try our best to build on what we’ve been given.”

Father Young mentioned that during a recent school accreditation process, the surveyor mentioned that each person was asked to describe the school in one word. Every person’s response was “family.” “It was amazing to hear,” he said.

A big part of creating and maintaining that family atmosphere comes from the very active Knights of Columbus and its Ladies’ Auxiliary. “A lot of our parishioners are involved with that,” Father Young said. Another active ministry that receives parish- ioner support is the parish’s Pro-Life ministry, which hosts a pro-life walk each October. But by far the greatest ministry that receives the most parish support is St. Patrick School — the diocese’s only Pre-K through 12th grade parochial school. “It’s our main mission,” Father Young said about the school.

In its beginnings, St. Patrick Parish received a lot of support from other Christian churches in Mason County. Cooperation with area churches is still important to the parish. Father Young is an active member of the Limestone Ministerial Association, meeting monthly with about 30 church leaders from Mason County and the surrounding area.

“There’s a good core group that works well with each other and we share when we have events happening in our parishes and people attend each other’s events,” he said.

And St. Patrick Parish and School have a good reputation in the community.

“I pretty frequently get comments from people, thanking me,” Father Young said. “They will say, ‘I’m not Catholic, but I appreciate how the Catholic Church stands by what it believes.’”

Photo: At the consecration (from left) Father Joseph Gallenstein, Deacon Charles Hardebeck, Bishop Iffert, Father Andrew Young and Father Jordan Hainsey.

Father Comer to begin a series of talks on foundations of the Eucharist

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Messenger staff report

The Church in the United States has begun a three year process of National Eucharistic Renewal. This process is in response to a very troubling loss of faith in the Eucharist, as the Catholic Church believes and teaches it, among the Catholic people. With a special focus on the Eucharist over these three years it is hoped that Church leaders will be able to help people to understand the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist, and to embrace it.

In an upcoming series of talks, Father Michael Comer, pastor, Mother of God Parish, Covington, is taking a foundational approach to catechesis on the Eucharist by inviting everyone to journey back in the Old Testament to uncover the roots of the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist. The series begins Thursday, Sept.8 with a morning session at 10:30 a.m. which is then repeated in the evening at 6:30 p.m., at Mother of God Church. This series will be based on the book, “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper,” by Brad Pitre.

“This book, ‘Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist,’ is one of the best that I have read in a number of years about the Eucharist,” said Father Comer. “I especially like the way in which Pitre helps us to see that what Jesus did at the Last Supper — when he instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist — was the fulfillment of a number of Old Testament prophecies and Old Testament pre-figurements.”

The Passover meal, the manna in the desert, the offer- ing of sacrifices in the Temple, the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, are all preparation for the coming of Jesus, and for the Eucharist, and the ongoing Real Presence of Jesus among us in the Blessed Sacrament, Father Comer said.

Brad Pitre has a doctorate in Scripture from Notre Dame University, and has been a professor of Scripture at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is the author of a number of books showing the inti- mate connection between the Old Testament and Christ. These include, “Jesus: The Bridegroom,” “The Case for Jesus,” “Jesus and The Jewish Roots of Mary,” and several more.

The book is available on Amazon and other booksellers, including regular book stores, and Catholic book stores, or it can be downloaded to Kindle, I-pad or other readers.

Synthesis of the Synod on Synodality – Diocesan Phase

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Click here to view the full Synthesis of the Synod on Synodality – Diocesan Phase

The Diocese of Covington is comprised of 14 counties in the northern and eastern part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, totaling 3,359 square miles it is a diverse landscape of urban, suburban, and rural areas. With a total population of 529,445 people, there are approximately 89,035 Catholics: a total of 48 parishes, 30 elementary schools, 9 high schools, and one Catholic university.

In terms of the process used for the Synod, to reach the maximum amount of people possible, it was decided that a diocesan team would be formed, and every parish, school, institution, and organization would be invited to send synod coordinators to be trained to hold listening sessions at the local level. Individual members of the diocese were also encouraged to have one-on-one sessions with family, friends, and neighbors. Despite our best efforts to include those on the margins and a wide range of age groups, this proved to be a difficult task and, as you will see in the demographics listed in the appendix, most participants were adults over the age of 50 of European descent.

To systematically address the two fundamental questions of the Synod and the ten underlying themes the Diocesan Synod Team developed the following questions as guidelines for the local process:

1. Who in the Catholic Church has walked with you on your faith journey? How?

2. How do the Mass, Church’s ministries and activities inspire you in your daily life?

3. What do you think is the role of a Catholic Church member? How does the Church support members in conducting their role?

4. In what ways does the Catholic Church listen to its members? Are there ways for people to be included and share their voices?

5. In what ways does the Catholic Church communicate with groups within our church, other faith communities, and our neighbors?

6. What is the Holy Spirit inviting us to do to grow as a holy Church?

  • There were 75 Listening Session Reports turned in (with 4,009 people participating)
  • A total of 331 people took the Online Survey
  • There were 19 One-On-One Listening Session Reports submitted
  • And 13 letters/emails to the bishop
  • Approx. total of people involved: 4,375

‘Maes:107 Years’—an exhibit honoring the Diocese of Covington’s third bishop

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Father Jordan Hainsey, Messenger Contributor

Wednesday, May 11, 2022 marks 107 years since the passing of Bishop Camillus Paul Maes, the longest-serving Bishop of Covington (1885-1915.) To commemorate this anniversary, St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is hosting a temporary exhibit in the Maes Crypt Chapel entitled “Maes: 107 Years.” Drawn from the Cathedral Collection, the exhibit brings together vesture and liturgical objects associated with Bishop Maes.

Born in Belgium on March 13, 1846 in the old Flemish city of Courtrai, Maes was orphaned at age 12 and entered the seminary in 1865. Ordained in Louvain, Belgium on Dec. 19, 1868 and desiring to become a missionary in America, he came to the Diocese of Detroit in 1869 and served there for 16 years before being appointed Bishop of Covington in 1885 by Pope St. Leo XIII.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a cope from the French province of Porcelette made in 1791 which would have been worn by Bishop Maes for Cathedral liturgies. Made of handwoven silk damask with gilt thread, the cope predates the founding of the diocese by 62 years. While it may have been brought to the United States in the early 19th century, it is possible that it was brought to Covington by Bishop Maes after one of his many trips to Europe where he acquired vestments for the newly expanding Covington diocese. At a time when cloth was expensive, the exquisite craftsmanship and labor involved in making the cope would have set it apart for use at the Cathedral’s most solemn liturgies — liturgies like Christmas, Easter, and Corpus Christi. As part of the Cathedral Collection and given its age, as well as the possibility of predating Bishop Maes, it may have been worn by Bishops Carrell and Toebbe before it was retired because of its delicate condition. A precious miter once used by Covington’s seventh Bishop, Richard H. Ackerman, compliments the cope and helps to show how it was worn in relation to other vesture at a pontifical ceremony.

A crozier used by Bishop Maes is also on view. While the crozier has long been held in the Cathedral Collection, its history was previously unknown until it was clearly identified in a photograph of the cornerstone laying at St. Patrick Church, Maysville, in 1903. In the photograph, Bishop Maes is shown presiding over the ceremony with the same crozier.

Other items on view were retained from the translation of Bishop Maes’ remains from St. Mary’s Cemetery to the Cathedral in 2019. While water had permeated the grave, numerous items survived. These include: a pontifical amethyst ring, the name plate from the top of the coffin, and the casket’s six handlebars with accompanying wood-pole fragments.

Together, items from Bishop Maes’ life and death have been brought together to bring Covington’s saintly bishop back to life for the faithful today.

As bishop, he was a striking figure — tall, finely built, of florid complexion and black curling hair. He spoke seven languages fluently and possessed a perfect command of English, enhanced only by a slight Belgian accent. He loved young people and had a special affection for children — especially orphans.

When he first arrived in Covington, he found the old St. Mary’s Cathedral in a state of disrepair and his growing flock in need of a new house of worship. He began the present Cathedral in April 1894, completing the main struc- ture in 1901 and the façade in 1910. This magnificent and timeless gothic Cathedral Basilica stands as a testament to the vision of a Bishop who wished to give the people of Covington a monument of the love of Christ for souls. In his own words, “indeed, the message of the Cathedral is the message of Christ himself.”

When Camillus Paul Maes died on 11 May 1915, the sound of tolling church bells echoed across every city and town in Northern Kentucky, bidding farewell to the man who gave the people a gothic masterpiece that would speak to them for centuries to come.

The exhibit “Maes: 107 Years” runs May 7–31, 2022 and is on view in the Maes Crypt Chapel at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. For Cathedral hours, visit covcathedral.com.

Photos courtesy Father Jordan Hainsey

 

Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington Statement on Abuse File Review

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
Statement on Abuse File Review
July 31, 2020

The Diocese of Covington today is releasing the names of priests, religious, deacons and lay employees who have served in our Diocese against whom one or more allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been substantiated.

The list is the product of a comprehensive and independent review of thousands of diocesan records dating back to 1950. Two former FBI agents were given free rein to review all diocesan records, including Chancery files, archival files, priest personnel files, and Safe Environment files. The former FBI agents have a combined 50 years of investigative experience.

In October, 2019, Bishop Roger Foys and the Diocesan Review Board initiated the review as a way to continue to assure the people of the Diocese of Covington, as well as our priests and other Diocesan personnel, that the Diocese has, as far as is humanly possible, addressed the scourge of sexual abuse of minors by its priests, religious and lay employees.

Inclusion on this list does not necessarily indicate that an accused priest, religious, deacon or lay employee has been found guilty of a crime or liable for any civil claim. The definition of “substantiated allegation” that guided the file review is as follows:

An allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is deemed substantiated when there is probable cause for believing the claim is true. The following may be considered as evidence of probable cause:

1) admission of guilt by the accused;
2) guilty finding rendered by a court;
3) finding rendered by an investigative process shows cause for believing the allegation is true on an objective basis;
4) the accused, when presented with the allegation and afforded a reasonable opportunity to respond, declined to address the allegation; or
5) the Special Masters appointed by the Court in the class action litigation against the Diocese made a monetary award from the class settlement fund based on a sworn claim form alleging one or more incidents of sexual abuse of a minor by the accused, and any other evidence that was submitted on behalf of the claimant.

The review process that has culminated in this list is part of the Diocese’s ongoing commitment to create a Safe Environment and to ensure that all allegations of child sexual abuse by priests, religious and lay employees over the last 70 years have been properly identified and reported. The review process is the natural outgrowth of two significant developments that have transpired during the last eighteen (18) years: significant reforms in the U.S. Catholic Church beginning in 2002 and the Diocese’s involvement in class action litigation from 2003-2009.

U.S. Church Reforms (2002)

In 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops instituted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (the “Dallas Charter”)[1] The Dallas Charter set forth reforms for U.S. dioceses to follow in response to the sexual abuse crisis. The reforms fall under four categories:

1. Promote healing and reconciliation with victims/survivors of sexual abuse of minors.
2. Ensure an effective response to allegations of sexual abuse of minors.
3. Ensure accountability of the response to sexual abuse of minors.
4. Protect the faithful in the future.

The Diocese acted promptly to implement the Dallas Charter and compliance with the Charter remains a priority. Some highlights follow.

To promote healing and reconciliation, Bishop Foys has met individually with over 170 survivors since 2002, and he will meet with any survivors requesting a meeting.

In addition, the Diocese has established a Victim Assistance Coordinator to assist with the immediate pastoral care of survivors. The Diocese has established a Diocesan Review Board (“DRB”), which is comprised of mostly lay people not in the employ of the Diocese. The DRB advises the Bishop “in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors and in his determination of a cleric’s suitability for ministry.” (Dallas Charter, Art. 2). The DRB meets regularly.

Since 2002, in response to each and every complaint of sexual abuse of a minor received, the Diocese has offered paid professional counseling to the individual making the complaint. These offers of counseling have been made for cases of abuse whenever alleged to have occurred and regardless of whether the complaint has been substantiated.

To ensure an effective response, upon receiving an allegation of minor sexual abuse, the Diocese has immediately reported the allegation to appropriate civil authorities (typically the Commonwealth Attorney in the county in which the abuse is alleged to have occurred). Again, such reporting has been undertaken even for allegations of abuse in the distant past and regardless of whether the allegation has been substantiated.

Consistent with the Dallas Charter, when an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been received, a preliminary investigation is conducted promptly and objectively. If the complaint involves an active priest, precautionary measures are implemented (e.g., withdrawal of the accused from ministry or restricting residence), pending the outcome of the investigation.

Most importantly, a policy of zero tolerance is in effect. “[F]or even a single act of sexual abuse of a minor — whenever it occurred — which is admitted or established after an appropriate process in accord with canon law, the offending priest or deacon is to be permanently removed from ministry [“faculties removed”] and, if warranted, dismissed from the clerical state [“laicized”].” (Dallas Charter, Art. 5).

To ensure accountability, the Diocese submits to regular audits to ensure compliance with the Dallas Charter. These audits are conducted by an outside team of auditors at the direction of the National Review Board, which was established in 2002 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Every year, the Diocese submits a completed audit questionnaire to the auditors, and an audit team periodically visits the Diocese for an intensive on-site audit. Since 2002, the Diocese has submitted to nine (9) on-site audits. Every audit has demonstrated the Diocese’s continued compliance with the Dallas Charter.

To protect the faithful, the Diocese has implemented mandatory background checks for all priests, deacons, staff and volunteers who work with children. Safe Environment policies, protocols and a code of conduct have been developed and are regularly updated.[2]

The Diocese’s Safe Environment Office – through the VIRTUS program – performs training and background checks of all priests, deacons, seminarians, employees and volunteers working in the Curia, parishes, schools and Catholic organizations. From 2003 to the present, 33,145 persons have completed the VIRTUS program. Additionally, children in Catholic schools and parish schools of religion are trained on how to identify and report inappropriate behavior by adults.

Most recently, the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service has been established to receive reports of sexual abuse and related misconduct by bishops and to relay those reports to proper Church authorities.[3] A link to the Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service is available on the diocesan Safe Environment web page.

The Class Action (2003-2009)

In 2003, a lawsuit brought on behalf of all persons who had been sexually abused as a minor by a priest, religious, deacon or lay employee of the Diocese of Covington was certified by the Boone County Circuit Court as a class action. The class action was administered by the Court and scrutinized in a very public process.

In January 2006, after notice and a public hearing to determine whether a proposed settlement reached on behalf of the Class was “fair, reasonable, and adequate,” the settlement received final approval from the Court. The class settlement was open to anyone who had been sexually abused as a minor by a priest, religious or lay employee of the Diocese or any Diocesan parish or institution. For months following final approval of the settlement, media outlets and newspapers across the country, including the diocesan newspaper (the Messenger), published notice of the class settlement and instructions on what abuse victims needed to do to file a claim for compensation from the class settlement fund.

Over a period of three and a half years, all claims were reviewed by court-appointed Special Masters and awards totaling $81,231,500 were made from the Class Settlement Fund. The Special Masters made awards to claimants when they determined that a claim was supported by sufficient credible evidence to conclude that the abuse more likely than not occurred. Claimants were required to submit a sworn claim form, but not otherwise required to substantiate their claims. Awards were made in cases involving unknown priests and unnamed nuns and in cases where the only supporting evidence was the claimant’s sworn claim form.

On May 21, 2009, the court-appointed Settlement Master, retired federal district judge Thomas Lambros, filed a report with the Kentucky Attorney General (the “Lambros Report”). The Lambros Report consisted of an executive summary of the “credible incidents of sexual abuse” that were deemed established as to each abuser. The Kentucky Court of Appeals had earlier ruled that the Lambros Report need not include “deceased priests or employees of the Diocese.” Thus, the Lambros Report detailed abuse by individuals then living, and it was submitted to the Attorney General “for distribution to the appropriate commonwealth attorneys.”[4]

The Settlement Master filed his final report to the Court on May 27, 2009. The report noted that 400 claims had been processed. One additional claim was received and processed by the Special Masters after the final report was submitted, in accordance with the procedures approved by the Court.

On May 28, 2009, after finding that “the Diocese of Covington and Bishop Foys have fulfilled all of their obligations under their settlement agreement with the Doe Class and this Court’s orders regarding the class settlement and its administration,” the Court entered a final order of dismissal.

Compilation of the List

The file reviewers experienced varying degrees of difficulty in determining whether an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor has been substantiated. Some abusers had multiple victims and claims against them were relatively easy to substantiate. Other allegations were much more difficult to reliably assess, due to the passage of time, conflicting evidence, lack of evidence, absence of other allegations or claims against the accused, or one or more significant limiting factors.

Over the years, the Diocese has received some complaints of sexual abuse of minors that fall into the latter category. The Special Masters in the class action denied 148 claims (of the 400 filed) as not sufficiently credible to support an award or as outside the scope of the class.[5] Some claims the Special Masters considered credible enough to merit a monetary award were not deemed substantiated.

Current Diocesan Procedures

Anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct by a cleric, employee, religious or volunteer of the Diocese of Covington is asked to contact Ms. Margaret Schack, Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator at (859) 392-1515. Professional assistance and pastoral support will be provided with confidentiality and respect. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is required to report allegations of sexual abuse of a minor to civil authorities. A victim may report allegations of sexual abuse directly to civil authorities as follows.

Reporting CURRENT abuse of MINORS or VULNERABLE ADULTS to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Division of Protection and Permanency, (877) 597-2331.

Boone County (859) 371-8832 Harrison County (859) 234-3884
Bracken County (606) 735-2195 Kenton County (859) 292-6340
Campbell County (859) 292-6733 Lewis County (606) 796-2981
Carroll County (502) 732-6681 Mason County (606) 564-6818
Fleming County (606) 845-2381 Owen County (502) 484-3937
Gallatin County (859) 567-7381 Pendleton County (859) 654-3381
Grant County (859) 824-4471 Robertson County (859) 724-5413

Reporting ADULTS who were abused as MINORS to the
Commonwealth Attorney.

Boone County (859) 586-1723 Harrison County (859) 235-0387
Bracken County (606) 564-4304 Kenton County (859) 292-6580
Campbell County (859) 292-6490 Lewis County (606) 473-7978
Carroll County (502) 732-6688 Mason County (606) 564-4304
Fleming County (606) 564-4304 Owen County (502) 732-6688
Gallatin County (859) 586-1723 Pendleton County (859) 235-0387
Grant County (859) 732-6688 Robertson County (859) 235-0387

It is preferable that you call the county in which the abuse allegedly occurred.

Additional resources:

Kentucky Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-752-6200
National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-422-4453
Indiana Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-800-5556
Kentucky Sex Offender Registry
http://kspsor.state.ky.us/
Ohio Child Abuse Hotline
1-855-642-4453

1 The Dallas Charter was updated in 2005, 2011 and 2018. A copy may be found at www.usccb.org
2 The Diocese’s booklet entitled “Creating a Safe Environment, Policies and Procedures for Addressing Sexual Misconduct” may be found at www.covdio.org.
3 More information can be found at ReportBishopAbuse.org.
4 Since May 2009, the Diocese has received no claims of present day sexual abuse against a minor by a priest.
5 The class action process provided that a claimant could appeal the Special Masters’ decision to an Appeal Master and, further, to the Circuit Court.