CHARLOTTE — From the start of his episcopacy, Bishop Peter Jugis has led the diocese through the aftermath of abuse revelations, installing robust safety protocols and embracing the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
In 2004, less than six months after becoming bishop, he publicly apologized to abuse victims during his first Ash Wednesday homily at St. Patrick Cathedral. The diocese had just reported historical allegations against 13 priests, in a national study on the problem. Since then, he has remained focused on protecting children and promoting healing for victims.
Thanks to his leadership, the diocese's Safe Environment program has been among the strongest in the U.S. Background checks and ongoing training in child abuse awareness and prevention are mandatory for all clergy, Church workers and volunteers, and the diocese has been found in compliance with the Charter every year since outside audits began in 2003.
In 2018, the diocese also engaged independent investigators to review its clergy personnel files for any historical allegations of abuse. Independent investigators examined more than 1,600 personnel and other records dating back nearly 50 years, totaling 150,000 pages. The comprehensive review, which took nearly a year, resulted in a list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse in the diocese since it was established in 1972.
In announcing the results of the review in 2019, Bishop Jugis said he hoped it would “promote healing for the survivors of sexual abuse and healing for their families – and also healing for the whole Church.”
The review also confirmed that no clergy member serving in the diocese today has a credible allegation of sexual abuse against him. It found that alleged abuse in the diocese primarily occurred in the 1970s and steadily declined before dropping off in the 2000s, after the abuse crisis was exposed nationally and the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People was adopted – affirming that the diocese's strict prevention and reporting protocols are working.
Father Patrick Winslow, who oversaw the review process, said Bishop Jugis' commitment to the historical file review, and to the diocese's Safe Environment measures overall, were evidence of how seriously he took his pastoral responsibilities to the people of the diocese.
“Like any father, there’s no higher priority for him than keeping children safe,” Father Winslow said. “He has exacted discipline in historical abuse cases that come to light, relied on an independent Review Board for guidance, and added protocols and resources to ensure we’re doing our due diligence with comprehensive background checks and training for all staff and volunteers.”
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