E-Mail To Fr Ken Wolfe

I sent the following to Fr Wolfe this morning:

Fr Wolfe, I’m contacting you in your capacity as Officer for Child Protection Compliance for the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter. While the “safe environment’” documentation on the Ordinariate web site focuses on reporting instances of child abuse or neglect, it seems to me that if such an instance has to be reported, the system has already failed. As a participant in my diocesan VIRTUS program, I recognize the need to be vigilant over situations that can lead to an unsafe environment as well as the need to report actual abuse.

Before I became a Catholic layman via my diocesan RCIA program, I attended the St Mary of the Angels ACA parish in Hollywood, CA, while Andrew Bartus, now an Ordinariate priest, was Curate there. During that time, I had an opportunity to observe potentially unsafe situations involving Fr Bartus that appear to have carried over into his ministry in the Bl John Henry Newman group in Irvine, CA.

Two specific issues concern me. One is the possibly inappropriate use of alcohol at most parish functions in Irvine, and the other is insufficient distinction between Bartus social events and parish activities, which in my observation at St Mary’s often involved heavy alcohol use with children from several parish families being present. If continued in Irvine, this would be a potential violation of point 9 of the Ordinariate Code of Conduct, involving contact occurring at “the cleric’s residence or any other place that may lead to confusion as to the nature of the interaction.”

Parish announcements, and at least one published third-party account, concerning activities at the Bl John Henry Newman group indicate that nearly all of them involve consumption of alcohol. This incudes the reception following the regular 11 AM Sunday mass, usually called “coffee hour”, but is noted in a third-party published account as being called “wine hour” at the Newman group. Other regular and special events are held specifically in bars or breweries. The only group event in which alcohol is specifically not served is the coffee hour following the 9 AM Sunday mass.

It seems to me that this level of alcohol consumption at regular parish events is inappropriate and sets a bad example for children, who clearly attend mass and other events at the parish. In addition, an atmosphere in which alcohol is consumed is likely to cause adults to relax the level of vigilance and concern over maintaining a safe environment that they should have as responsible participants in parish activities.

I believe a minimum acceptable response to these concerns would involve, first, a clear distinction between Bartus social activities and parish events, with no children involved when alcohol is served at the Bartus residence, and second, a serious reduction in the number of parish events at which alcohol is served. In particular, serving wine during a noon coffee hour is highly unusual and should be stopped. No minors should be involved in any parish event conducted at a bar or brewery, and regular events at bars or breweries should be reconsidered.

I would like to give you the opportunity to investigate this situation and take corrective action before I raise it with the Diocese of Orange and the Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

I look forward to your prompt and responsive reply.