Children First

The Archdiocese has long maintained and enforced a zero tolerance policy for clergy, lay employees, and volunteers who engage in misconduct with minors or the abuse of children. Our local Church takes immediate action when an accusation is made.

The Archdiocesan response to the societal evil of child abuse is comprehensive and ongoing.

The sexual abuse of minors is a societal evil that can rear its head anywhere at any time. It’s an issue in nearly every profession, in millions of private homes and public institutions. It’s is not solely a Catholic issue, even though it has often been portrayed as such.  However, the Catholic Church has done more than any other institution in recent years to combat the problem.  The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, in particular, has worked tirelessly to engage our 1.4 million Catholics in southeastern Pennsylvania in the collective effort to protect children and root out anyone who may cause them harm.

The Church does not investigate alleged criminal activity itself. When an allegation is made it is immediately reported to law enforcement.

If the Archdiocese receives an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor (or any other crime) by any priest, deacon, lay employee or volunteer, it is immediately reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency. That reporting policy is a longstanding one. The required canonical (Church) investigation of such an allegation does not take place until after law enforcement has concluded its work. Any criminal investigation conducted by civil authorities always take precedence, and we cooperate with those processes.  

Lay people with secular experience in child protection and investigations are the archdiocese’s leaders charged with addressing issues around child sexual abuse, victim services and child protection.

The Archdiocesan Office of Investigations is headed by John P. Delaney, Jr., Esquire. Prior to joining the AOP Mr. Delaney served for 36 years in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he rose to the rank of First Assistant District Attorney. In that role he served as second in command and Chief Operating Officer while reporting directly to the District Attorney.  When the Office of Investigations was originally formed in 2011, it was also headed by a former deputy district attorney for the City of Philadelphia who came to the AOP with over 30 years of experience in the DA’s Office. He retired in March 2018.

The Archdiocesan Office for Child and Youth Protection (OCYP) is led by Leslie Davila.  For over 20 years, Leslie has committed her career to advocate on behalf of children and victims of crime.  Prior to her appointment as director of the OCYP, Ms. Davila twice served as co-chair of the Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy and worked as assistant director of victim services and victim assistance coordinator in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Ms. Davila has served as a training consultant for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Institute since 2002. She routinely provides training at the statewide Foundational Academy for New Victim Service Providers. Ms. Davila has also presented numerous training workshops at local, statewide and national conferences.

The Archdiocesan Review Board was established in accord with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms, and is comprised of psychologists, social workers, educators, retired law enforcement agents, health care professionals, parents and one pastor. This group functions as a confidential, advisory committee to the Archbishop. It assesses allegations of sexual abuse as well as allegations of violations of The Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries and makes recommendations regarding suitability for ministry. It also assists in the continual review of Archdiocesan policies and procedures related to these matters.  Through careful analysis of each case, the Board assists the Archbishop in ensuring that no priest with a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor will serve in active ministry. The Board also ensures that all allegations of sexual abuse of minors are first reported to law enforcement. The Archdiocesan Review Board consists of twelve total members, each of whom is appointed to serve a four-year or five-year term, which is renewable.

The Archdiocese communicates with its people and its community.

If a priest is placed on administrative leave due to an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor, the Archdiocese communicates that information to his parish community and then to the news media. Appropriate follow-up communications are made to these same groups.

Information regarding priests who have been laicized or who have had ministry permanently restricted due to substantiated sexual abuse of a minor has been published on the Archdiocesan website for over a decade (archphila.org/Archdiocesan-offices/office-of-investigations). The church consistently urges anyone who has been abused, no matter when the abuse occurred, to come forward and report that abuse to law enforcement.

Support for victims is provided no matter when the abuse occurred.  That assistance is directed by independent counselors or therapists and provided directly to victims and survivors.

Since 2002, the AOP has invested $22 million in Victim’s Assistance Programs to assist survivors on their path to healing through mental health services, medication, therapy and more.

Assistance is provided for survivors and their families no matter when the abuse occurred and the Archdiocese doesn’t put a limitation on how long the assistance will be offered. It also provides services without conducting investigative pre-screenings.

It’s important to note that the Archdiocese does not mandate the types of services an individual receives. In all cases, the Victim Assistance Program follows guidelines set forth by a survivor’s independent counselor or therapist and tailors an assistance plan based on the unique needs of each individual.

Efforts on the part of the archdiocese to assist survivors far exceed what is being done by any other private or public institution. The AOP has provided medication, assistance with travel and childcare and other forms of support to help men, women, children and families heal.

The AOP’s Victim Assistance Program is run by professionals committed to best practices.

The Victim Assistance Program offered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is administered by professionals whose purpose is to provide support for adult survivors, child victims and their family members who have been affected by sexual abuse. This work is performed through the Office for Child and Youth Protection (OCYP). Since 2011, that office has been headed by Leslie J. Davila. She came to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office with over two decades of experience in victim services.