GREENSBORO — On March 8 and 9, Our Lady of Grace Parish hosted a conference by Family Honor Inc. This organization, founded in 1998 and based in Columbia, S.C., “recognizes the primary and irreplaceable role of parents, thus providing tools for parents and children to connect on important life issues, with a special focus on chastity and God’s gift of sexuality.” The program can be summed up as a Theology of the Body-based course for parents to explain chastity and sexuality to their children.
Presenters were Bill Pratt and Joe and Rose Czejkowski, all part of an eight-person presenter team from Raleigh.
The Czejkowskis, a married couple from Raleigh, found the Family Honor program online at www.familyhonor.org. They then met the facilitators in person at the Ignited by Truth Conference in Raleigh. They “wanted to raise their own kids with a healthy understanding of chastity, and eventually they began to volunteer” and became full-fledged presenters, traveling to various parishes for like conferences.
Pratt recounted a story of traveling to an economics-themed conference in which each participant was required to introduce themselves and their line of work. He decided to speak openly and told everyone that he was a “full-time chastity educator,” and in reaction he got some raised eyebrows from the secular crowd. Later, several people came up to him and recounted their own missionary work or efforts in evangelization. He later noted that he was required to study Planned Parenthood’s website as part of his Family Honor training, and found it an eye-opening and somewhat disturbing experience.
Participants at the Greensboro conference were parents of toddlers to teenagers, with each parental group divided by tables according to their child’s age. They watched videos of typical Catholic parents and a priest about how to raise integrated and healthy children in an age of sexual excess and confusion. This was followed by presentations from the Raleigh team, then discussions by each parental group and question-and-answer session. As a result, each group learned from others’ experiences in parenting.
Notable among the day’s challenges to virtue was the repeated quote from St. John Paul II: “The future of humanity passes by way of the family” (“Familiaris Consortio”), as well as frequent comparisons between the secular world view on sexuality and the Church’s view.
Participants had the chance to take a survey afterwards. One noted, “I wish I had found this program earlier, my oldest is now 17.” Another parent said, “(The presenters) all had personable relatable styles and really were strong facilitators who kept things moving along. They provided helpful insights without launching into monologues.”
Family Honor offers three basic courses for parents, from which much of the conference info was pulled: Leading and Loving, for parents of children up to 12 years old; Changes and Challenges for sixth-graders, which teaches virtues and values; and Real Life/Real Love, for eighth-graders and older.
The program also offers an interactive online training course called “The Truth and meaning of Sexuality, Love and Family.” This course helps “prepare parents, catechists, and others to be a positive, hopeful voice in an effort to help heal our wounded culture.” Topics include the history and trends of sexual thought and expression, social and physical consequences of the sexual revolution and modern sex education movement, St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and Pope Benedict XVI’s explanation of human sexual love in “Deus Caritas Est,” and the gift of fertility, male/female complementarity, total personal sexuality, and marriage and the family.
Family Honor also offers the book “Our Power to Love,” described as a new approach to sexuality education for adolescents and parents. It gives more information about how the human reproductive system functions and it promotes fertility appreciation within the larger context of the vocation of chastity.
Their literature emphasizes: “We face a culture confused about the purpose of the family, the dignity of life, and the meaning of true love and sexuality…Our young people are most affected by this moral confusion, as they grow up in a culture that continues to aggressively promote a twisted understanding of sexuality…
“Only by restoring the nature and dignity of the human person and the true meaning of sexuality will our society find true freedom to love; and discover the ultimate joy that God desires for each of us.”
— Glenn M. Lanham, Special to the Catholic News Herald. Glenn M. Lanham is a member of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
The Diocese of Charlotte announces that Monsignor Mauricio West has stepped down from his position as vicar general and chancellor, effective Monday, March 25, 2019. His departure follows a recent finding by the Lay Review Board of the Diocese of a credible allegation of sexual misconduct.
The alleged events occurred in the mid-1980s when Monsignor West was the Vice President for Student Affairs at Belmont Abbey College, and involved multiple instances of unwanted overtures toward an adult student over a two-year period. In February, the individual met personally with the Lay Review Board to discuss the allegation.
Monsignor West has denied the allegation. During a period of counseling and assessment, he will be on a leave of absence from his ministerial duties.
While the alleged behavior did not constitute sexual abuse and did not involve a minor, it is the strict policy of the Diocese of Charlotte to refer all allegations by known accusers of potential sexual misconduct to the Lay Review Board for investigation. Misconduct includes boundary violations and improper behavior by clergy, lay people and church volunteers involving children and adults.
Personally, and on behalf of the Catholic Church, I extend our deepest apologies to the victim in this case and pray for all who have suffered from misconduct. The Diocese of Charlotte is committed to taking all necessary steps to root out all inappropriate behavior and to being open and transparent about our handling of all allegations of such conduct.
The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Bishop of Charlotte
Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari issues statement
BELMONT — Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, chancellor of Belmont Abbey College, issued the following statement March 28 regarding the departure of Monsignor Mauricio West as vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte: (Editor's note: Monsignor West began his ministry as a Benedictine monk at Belmont Abbey, and he served for a decade in various faculty and administrative positions at the Benedictine-run college including director of residential life and vice president for student affairs and later sat on the college’s board of trustees.)
We were sorrowful to learn this week that an allegation of sexual misconduct against Monsignor Mauricio West, a current diocesan priest and former Vice President for Student Affairs at Belmont Abbey College, has been determined to be credible. The misconduct allegedly occurred mid-1980s during Monsignor West’s tenure at Belmont Abbey and involved an adult student, who claims to have been a victim of unwanted advances by Monsignor West.
Monsignor West has denied the allegations. Nonetheless, we are deeply sorry for the victim and have apologized personally to the individual. Although we cannot undo the past, we are dedicated to preventing such inappropriate behavior in the future.
We are thoroughly committed to the prevention of sexual misconduct of any kind. We investigate and remediate all claims according to state and federal laws and provide regular training and education to members of the Abbey community on the prevention of sexual harassment and misconduct.
While it is disheartening that a former student and our entire community have been hurt by this allegation, we are committed to honesty and transparency in handling all allegations of misconduct. We pray for the healing of all who have suffered from clerical misconduct and remain dedicated to our mission and to the welfare of our students. We have cooperated fully with the Lay Review Board of the Diocese of Charlotte in this matter.
For information regarding the safety and protection of Belmont Abbey College students, including our sexual misconduct policy, please visit: https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/campus-life/campus-safety/. For further information regarding the current allegation, which was reported to and investigated by the Diocese of Charlotte, please contact David Hains, Director of Communications for the Diocese.
Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B.
Belmont Abbey
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte has been found in compliance with the U.S. bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” every year since the charter’s inception.
The diocese has passed independent audits of its child protection procedures every year since 2003.
The external audit – conducted by the Gavin Group in the early years of the charter and now by Stonebridge Business Partners of Rochester, N.Y. – monitors U.S. dioceses’ compliance with the charter, which addresses the Church’s commitment to respond effectively, appropriately and compassionately to cases of abuse of minors by clergy or other Church personnel.
The audit evaluates the diocese’s efforts to ensure the protection of children, including criminal background checks and educational awareness programs on recognizing and preventing abuse.
In the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017 (the most recent figures available), the diocese ran 4,068 background checks, which are required on an ongoing basis for all diocesan employees and volunteers. Since 2002, nearly 57,000 background checks have been processed.
Since 2002, more than 48,900 adults have received training in the safe environment awareness program entitled “Protecting God’s Children.” In the 2016-’17 fiscal year alone, the diocese held 167 “Protecting God’s Children” workshops across the diocese for 3,517 participants.
“Protecting God’s Children” helps adults learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse and the many ways that sexual abuse harms victims, families, parishes and communities. It teaches them appropriate ways to respond to suspicious behaviors and how they can help to prevent abuse.
Since 2003, the diocese has invested approximately $1.2 million in this training program.
The diocese also provides financial assistance to victims and their families for counseling and other medical services. Since 1995, that has totaled approximately $633,000.
Since 2010, the diocese has reported costs incurred in connection with sexual abuse or misconduct lawsuits totaling approximately $1.4 million.
Diocesan insurance funds and the diocesan general fund were used for payment. None of these funds came from the Diocesan Support Appeal or from parish savings.
— Catholic News Herald
More online
Read the Diocese of Charlotte’s Sexual Misconduct Policy and the U.S. bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”
At www.charlottediocese.org/human-resources/safe-environment: Get detailed information on the diocese’s Safe Environment programs
By the numbers
$1.226 million: What the Diocese of Charlotte has spent on “Safe Environment” measures, including criminal background checks and “Protecting God’s Children” workshops held across the diocese for clergy, religious, lay employees and lay volunteers
$633,000: Assistance to sexual abuse victims for counseling and other medical services
$1.397 million: Legal costs incurred from sexual abuse litigation, not already covered by insurance
How to report an allegation of abuse
Anyone having actual knowledge of or reasonable cause to suspect an incident of ministry-related sexual abuse is to immediately report the incident to civil authorities and/or the Diocese of Charlotte Chancery. The Chancery will then report the incident to the proper civil authorities.
All cases of alleged, known or suspected ministry-related sexual abuse of a minor must be reported to the proper civil authority. Anyone having actual knowledge of, or reasonable cause to suspect an incident of ministry-related sexual abuse by any Church personnel of the Diocese of Charlotte is to immediately report the incident to the Chancery, unless to do so would violate the sacrament of penance. The Chancery will then report the incident to the proper civil authority.
ONLINE: www.charlottediocese.org/human-resources/safe-environment
PHONE: Chancery at 704-370-6299 or the victim assistance line at 704-370-3363
EMAIL: David Harold, LCSW, the diocesan victim assistance coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
MAIL: Chancellor, Diocese of Charlotte, P.O. Box 36776, Charlotte, N.C. 28236
