Head of bishops' child protection office plans to resign in February

Published: 2004-11-16

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Kathleen McChesney, who set up the U.S. bishops' office to help dioceses implement child sex abuse prevention policies, plans to resign Feb. 25 after publication of the 2004 diocesan compliance audits. Children are safer now under the church's policies but the bishops' Office of Child and Youth Protection will continue to function, McChesney said Nov. 15 to reporters covering the bishops' general fall meeting. McChesney, 53, became the first executive director of the office Dec. 1, 2002. During her tenure she had disagreements with some bishops who opposed her idea that diocesan compliance audits should continue annually after the initial 2003 audit. McChesney, a former FBI agent, said that as of yet she has no job plans for when she leaves her current post. She told reporters that her two-year contract called for her to set up the office, conduct a diocesan compliance audit and establish ongoing procedures to assure implementation of the bishops' policies. These have been accomplished, she said, noting that she is staying beyond the term of her contract to finish the 2004 audits, which will be the second round of annual audits.

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