Printable PDF file - Bishop McGovern's Promulgation Letter - February 11, 2023   

February 11, 2023
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Catholic Diocese of Belleville is today implementing a revised and updated Child Protection Policy which more accurately describes the practices we have been following in the last several years.

The Catholic Bishops in the United States have collectively committed themselves to creating safe environments for children and vulnerable adults and to take seriously our responsibility that the incidents of abuse that occurred in the past will not happen again. My first expression of that commitment, as Bishop of Belleville, was to go through the Initial Child Protection Training Program and to complete the other components of our Child Protection Policy shortly after my installation in July 2020. I appreciate your willingness to go through this process as well, and I ask you to enthusiastically support it.

The Diocese of Belleville has created and implemented a program which includes protection from all forms of abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional) and neglect by any clergy, religious or lay person who is working or volunteering under the auspices of the Diocese. The program includes education for all individuals who have contact with children, as well as completing a registration process and background checks. The program also provides education for the children in our Catholic Schools and Parish Education Programs that will encourage children to say no, to run, to tell, and to keep telling if they find themselves in an abusive situation.

I encourage anyone who has suspicions that abuse is occurring to contact local law enforcement, and the Department of Children and Family Services at 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873). I also urge anyone who has been abused by someone working in the name of the church to contact the Department of Children and Family Services as well as the current Review Board Administrator of the Belleville Diocese, the Honorable Janet Hormberg, at (618) 212-1201 or 800-640-3044.

I am most grateful for the service that each of you is providing in the Diocese of Belleville to help share our Catholic beliefs and teachings with the children and youth that we serve. Each of you is helping to build up the Body of Christ through faithful love and service. To anyone who has suffered abuse of any form from a person acting in the name of the church, I offer my deepest apology and my pledge to do all that I can to see that no further harm takes place in the years to come.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Most Reverend Michael McGovern
Bishop of Belleville