University of Notre Dame professor John Cavadini and Jesuit Father Thomas Gaunt of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate take questions from the audience Sept. 21, 2019, during the Religion News Association conference in Las Vegas. They presented findings of their groundbreaking study on sexual harassment in seminaries in the U.S. (CNS photo\/Rhina Guidos) See NOTRE-DAME-SEMINARIANS-STUDY Sept. 23, 2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nJesuit Father Thomas P. Gaunt, executive director of CARA, told OSV News that roughly 9,000 U.S. diocesan priests were ordained during that period \u2014 and tracking their current status to determine which have left the priesthood is a significant undertaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got 9,000 names, and we have to figure out where every one of them is today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Father Gaunt explained that his team is relying on open-source research, such as Google queries on individual priest names, in addition to checking against diocesan clergy lists and resources such as The Official Catholic Directory, an annual statistical overview of the U.S. Catholic Church endorsed for use by the nation\u2019s bishops.<\/p>\n
The open-source searches enable the CARA researchers to account for changes in priestly status \u2014 such as medical leave, death and temporary assignments elsewhere \u2014 that take place between directory and website updates, said Father Gaunt.<\/p>\n
The process is a \u201cone-by-one\u201d inquiry, he said \u2014 and, he added, \u201cthe dilemma is being able to identify and then contact those who have left the priesthood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you make an inquiry with the diocese, very properly they come back and say, \u2018It\u2019s none of your business,’\u201d due to \u201cthe privacy rights of the individual,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
A \u201cwhole mix\u201d of reasons are cited by diocesan priests who have left their ministry, said Father Gaunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were those who realized, \u2018This is not God\u2019s calling; it\u2019s a mistake,\u2019 and they leave. And in a sense, they\u2019re happy campers,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are others who are embittered by (their experience with) the bishop. And then there are others who say, \u2018Well, this was a traumatic part of my life, and I don\u2019t want to revisit it.\u2019 They\u2019re not going to go there because it\u2019s too difficult or painful; it\u2019s not a moral issue or anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, several dozen former diocesan priests have already opted to be part of the qualitative portion of the study, which will entail \u201csemi-structured\u201d interviews that are \u201cbetween 60 and 90 minutes\u201d in length, said Vaidyanathan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will look at all the following areas: background and call, formation and ordination, time in ministry, the emergence of doubts and decision to leave, and life after ministry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Vaidyanathan clarified that the qualitative portion would focus on men ordained after 2000 and who \u201cleft public ministry with the knowledge of their bishop or religious superior within 10 years of ordination.\u201d<\/p>\n
The men are not required to have been formally laicized, he said.<\/p>\n
In addition, he said, those who were removed from ministry by a canonical process, or who abandoned their ministry without the knowledge of their bishop or religious superior, are excluded from the study.<\/p>\n
Perla noted the response to the study\u2019s qualitative segment has been robust.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin a week, we received 61 responses to our call for participants,\u201d she said. \u201cThis was more than we expected, and speaks to their willingness to share their experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perla and Vaidyanathan said they hoped the research initiative would accomplish a number of aims.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen someone leaves, it is important to ask questions, and to learn from it, for the benefit of the whole Church,\u201d said Perla.<\/p>\n
Vaidyanathan agreed, saying the study would also help \u201cbishops and other Catholic leaders to identify and respond to warning signs.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cIt will also help the Church understand the experiences of these men in their own words.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perla also pointed to the study\u2019s potential to \u201cenhance public appreciation for the priests who persevere in their vocations for the whole of life, when we honestly confront some of the challenges that they face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe faithful generally want to support their priests, and this study may provide us concrete ways to do so,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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