State wins court battle over audit of New Hampshire diocese

Published: 2005-03-30

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CNS) -- A New Hampshire judge has ordered the Catholic Diocese of Manchester to submit its child protection policies and practices to an extensive state review and said the costs must be shared by the state and the diocese. Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Carol Ann Conboy's March 22 ruling followed a two-year battle between the attorney general's office and the diocese over the extent to which the state could oversee the effectiveness of the diocese's efforts to prevent sexual abuse of minors by church personnel and create a safe environment for children. In December 2002 the diocese signed an agreement with the attorney general's office acknowledging that it could have been convicted for failing to protect minors from clergy sex abusers. In exchange for avoiding prosecution the diocese agreed to give the attorney general's office oversight of diocesan policies dealing with the issue, including annual audits for the next five years to ensure that toughened child safety procedures are followed.

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