originally published 1/30/2019
I assumed that the envelope from Xavier University would contain a request for donations but found instead a letter from the University’s President, Michael Graham, S. J. It contained his seemingly heartfelt report and plan of action to deal with continued “…revelations of clerical sexual abuse of minors and others and…the equally scandalous actions of Church officials to conceal these always sinful and often criminal activities.”
In the late 1970s I was a young graduate student pursuing an MBA degree at Xavier University while working a full time job. My classmates came from the national headquarters of Procter and Gamble, Kroger, GE, banking, insurance, health care, community social agencies, and many other kinds off work. We were learning together the business and executive skills that all of us would need.
The University was very engaged with Cincinnati area business, social issues and religious institutions. The faculty had real world experience. The department chairman, for example, had been a member of President Kennedy’s Council of Economic advisors. There was no religious instruction or guidance within the MBA program; but there was a foundation of values, social justice and integrity within the curriculum and our case studies. The presence of Christian values could be heard and felt while being fully inclusive of non-Christian students and faculty. Xavier University got those things right and tried to pass the values along to students.
The University was created and is operated by Jesuits (Society of Jesus). They have 28 American colleges and universities including Georgetown, Holy Cross, Fordham, Marquette, and Gonzaga, in addition to Xavier. The Jesuits are good at what they do. They have served their students and communities well.
So, why was I reading the names of Jesuit priests employed by my university who were known to have committed “…sexual abuse of a minor and/or inappropriate sexual behavior with young adults who were students at the time that the incident took place”? In President Graham’s words, “…one finds hope and grace where one can – which today is manifested in transparency, accountability and contrition.” The purposes of his letter are to tell the truth, to accept responsibility on behalf of the University and the Society of Jesus, and to apologize for the wrongs they’ve done.
The letter doesn’t end with the confession. It proceeds to specify what is being done to prevent future abuse. They abandoned the practice of exclusively handling investigations and discipline internally. Instead they urge that allegations of abuse should also be referred to law enforcement. They provide information in their website and handbooks about how to do that. The policies that apply to priests are the same ones that apply to other employees of the University. They implemented an anonymous reporting process for sexual abuse that bypasses the University Administration and Clergy – going instead to the Board of Trustees Audit and Risk Management Committee. That process is similar to what financial institutions and hospitals do to assure that executives don’t cover up inappropriate actions or poor performance. In addition, both the University and the Jesuits provide mandatory periodic training on the subject for faculty and clergy. The next step in their journey will be to examine the cultures of the Jesuits themselves and the University to determine how and why such abuses were committed; and how to develop a culture that is safe and healthy.
It was only a few weeks ago that I wrote about the Southern Baptist Seminary’s investigation and report on its history of supporting slavery and white supremacy. Like Xavier University, the Seminary accepted responsibility for its wrongs, apologized, and implemented constructive changes. There are important similarities in these organizations. Both are willing to expose their own past misdeeds and cover-ups. Both have accepted responsibility and apologized. And both have taken action to prevent recurrences. They seem to understand that getting it right is more important than protecting an image.
It would be fascinating to hear a conversation between Xavier’s President Graham and the Southern Baptist Seminary’s President, Albert Mohler. They are Christian clergymen serving as Chief Executives of complex organizations. Their predecessors sometimes protected the reputation and financial welfare of their institutions by covering up the wrongs that were done there. Mohler, Graham, the University and the Seminary deserve credit for facing facts and acting to prevent recurrences. It’s not just religious organizations. Consider the preventable tragedies that occurred at Penn State and Michigan State Universities and in multiple American businesses – covered up and festering for years until victims forced them into our sight.
It’s good to see two religious organizations and their leaders step forward and set an example of management grounded in values. We can hope that others will learn and follow.