Here's What I Would Expect To See

in an investigation conducted by adults of the circumstances surrounding how All Saints Fountain Valley hired a priest with an arrest record for child pornography, as well as the bizarre sexual abuse alleged against an unidentified diocesan bishop. I don't know if this is what will be done, but I've been at the fringes of this kind of thing at various times in my career, and my wife was the sexual harassment coordinator for two corporations, so she has good knowledge of how equivalent investigations are handled. If I were investigating both cases, I would

• Want to know who was the safe environment coordinator for the dioceses involved. If there was none in either diocese, it would raise a red flag.
• Want to see the written safe environment policies for those dioceses. If there were none, it would raise a red flag.
• Want to see the standardized, written employment applications for both individuals. If there were none, it would raise a red flag.
• Want to see the records of the criminal background checks and employment reference checks for both individuals. If there were none, it would raise a red flag.
• Determine if either individual had any history of similar behavior that was known to colleagues or laity that had gone unreported, which might corroborate any allegations. Serious offenders don't do things just once.
• For that matter, determine whether any similar behavior had been reported but not investigated.
• Locate copies of the reports that generated the current investigation. If they are unavailable, that should raise a red flag.
• Locate and interview affected parties, recognizing that with the passage of time, they may have become reluctant to speak about the incidents or even have passed away.
• Contact former employers and determine the circumstances of their leaving prior employment.
• Interview the ACA diocesan officials and bishops who were contacted about the incidents and determine their response.
• Interview any clerical employees or parish volunteers who may have received the contacts and determine whether they passed them on.
• Identify the actions or inactions that would explain why, following the contacts, no formal investigation was begun, or if one was begun, determine its results.
• Determine why, if there was any validity to the allegations, parishioners were exposed to potential risks for months after the problems were reported.
• Identify those responsible in the incidents themselves and make appropriate recommendations for ecclesiastical discipline, including any necessary preparation for trial of a bishop.
• Identify those who might have covered up the incidents and make appropriate recommendations for ecclesiastical discipline, including any necessary preparation for trial of a bishop.
• Recommend other measures that would make it plain that clergy who do not follow their responsibility to maintain a safe environment are held accountable.
• Make other recommendations regarding how ACA policies and procedures may be improved to prevent such situations arising in the future.

It would be worth it to make a check of whether Anthony Morello had ever filled out a written employment application as well. I strongly suspect that, given the history I've seen, All Saints Fountain Valley has been a weak point where unscrupulous individuals can ingratiate themselves with superficial charm, bypass ordinary procedures, work their way into positions of trust, and even rise to high levels in the diocese. This should be a major embarrassment to the ACA. Had consistent policies regarding standard employment applications, reference checks, and criminal background checks been in force across the ACA, I don't believe any of the individuals involved would have become ACA clergy in the first place.

Who else might have been screened out, for that matter?