CATHOLIC CHARITIES EXECUTIVE
NAMED ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR

            Bishop Thomas V. Daily has announced that he has appointed Sister Ellen Patricia Finn, O.P., associate executive director of Catholic Charities, to coordinate the Diocese of Brooklyn’s pastoral assistance for persons who claim to have been sexually abused when they were minors by a member of the clergy. 

            The U.S. bishops called for archdioceses and dioceses to establish the specialized pastoral outreach in the norms they prepared last June and adopted in November. The Vatican gave its approval in December by granting a “recognitio.”

            Bishop Daily’s appointment of the Amityville Dominican Sister became effective Feb. 20.  On March 1, the norms, which were companion to a “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” took effect.

            According to the norms---named formally the “Essential Norms for Diocesan/Eparchial Policies Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests, Deacons and Other Church Personnel”---a “competent person” is to coordinate assistance for “the immediate pastoral care” of persons who claim to have been sexually abused as minors.

            In selecting Sister Ellen Patricia to fulfill that duty, Bishop Daily said that her “vast and rich pastoral and social service background makes her especially well-qualified to serve in this important role. I am grateful to her for her willingness to assume this responsibility.”

            With 15 years’ experience in direct service and administration at Catholic Charities, she said that “it’s the mission of Catholic Charities to be in the compassionate arena. This is all about healing.”

Named Catholic Charities’ associate executive director last year by Robert Siebel, the executive director, Sister Ellen Patricia will continue in that office while assuming the new position.

            A licensed social worker with a master’s degree in social work from Hunter College, she also worked many years with young people as a teacher and principal in parish elementary schools.

            In preparing for her new duties, Sister Ellen Patricia has consulted with persons in other U.S. dioceses who have been assigned to carry out a similar function. She said that useful information drawn from the consultations will be valuable in developing a plan that will be effective in the Brooklyn Diocese.