Archdiocese of Edmonton to waive secrecy clauses

EDMONTON Historic confidentiality clauses signed by victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy will be waived and any new victims will not be compelled to sign them as part of any future settlements, a top official with the Catholic Church said Wednesday.

The news comes after the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops unveiled a document featuring 69 recommendations aimed at updating protocols across the country to combat sexual abuse against minors.

As well as striking confidentiality clauses from settlements, Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith said the archdiocese would publish on its website details about past cases of sexual abuse in line with privacy laws as a commitment to transparency within the church.

The Archdiocese of Edmonton has not been “immune from this plague” of sexual abuse, with several former clergy charged and convicted of sexual misconduct crimes, he said.

No timeline was offered on when that information would be published.

Smith said many of the recommendations in the 181-page document released Oct. 4 had long been implemented in his archdiocese. However, two core themes — accountability and transparency — prompted changes.

He said the culture of secrecy surrounding sexual abuse had been built upon the “misplaced desire to protect the reputation of individuals and church as a whole, a desire by clergy to protect their brothers and a fear of alerting other victims and raising more allegations.”

“Victims that were offered compensation or access to counselling were required to sign confidentiality agreements. In other cases they were verbally warned to not speak of their experience,” he said. “The result was that many suffered in silence.

“That’s all wrong and it can no longer be the way that abuse is dealt with. I will not demand secrecy on their part.”

Smith said the archdiocese recognizes that “in order to heal, victims need to be able to speak freely about what they have experienced.

“As a bishop I share in the pain and in the shame of that betrayal and I’m personally committed to do everything I can to prevent such betrayals in the future,” he said.

To the victims of sexual abuse, Smith offered a message.

“What you have experienced should never have happened and we are very, very sorry.”