Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

A new state mandated reporting law was signed by Governor Swift on May 3, 2002. This law requires a priest, deacon and certain other persons employed by a church to report abuse and neglect of children under the age of 18. Under this new law, any person employed by the Archdiocese of Boston, or any of its parishes, to supervise, educate, coach, train or counsel a child on a regular basis, as well as all members of the clergy (including permanent deacons) are now mandated to report any circumstances where he or she has reasonable cause to believe that a child, under the age of eighteen, is suffering or has suffered physical or emotional injury resulting from abuse inflicted upon him or her, including sexual abuse, neglect, malnutrition, or drug dependency.

This new law has a retroactive provision, which stipulates that these now-Mandated Reporters must also report on or before June 3, 2002, any prior instances of such abuse which they became aware of at the time an individual was under the age of eighteen.

With respect to any current instances of abuse, or any retroactive instances of abuse where the victim is still under the age of eighteen, such reports must be made to the Massachusetts Department of Social Services. If the individual was under the age of eighteen at the time but is now an adult, the report should be made to the appropriate District Attorney's Office.

If you fall within this new definition of Mandated Reporters and have information to report in accordance with this statutory amendment, your should report the matter directly to the Department of Social Services or to the appropriate District Attorney's Office.

If you have any questions at all concerning what your responsibilities are, please contact either Bob Kelley (617-746-5750) or Sister Marion Batho (617-746-5637) for assistance.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Most Reverend Walter J. Edyvean
Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia

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