The Valley Catholic December 17, 2019 | Page 2

2 IN THE DIOCESE December 17, 2019 | The Valley Catholic Appointments of Bishop Oscar Cantú DECEMBER 17 Tues, 9 a.m., Internal Office Meeting, St. John Vianney, San José. Tues, 12 p.m., Catholic Community Foundation Christmas Celebration, San José. Tues, 2 & 3:30 p.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Tues, 7 p.m., Simbang Gabi Mass Celebration, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, San José. 18 Wed, 9 a.m., Chancery House Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Wed, 11 a.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Wed, noon, Hispanic Ministry Posadas & Luncheon, Directores y Coordinadores de Catequesis y Ministerio Hispano, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, San José. 19 Thu, 9:30 a.m., Council of Priest Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Thu, 1:30, 3 & 4 p.m., Internal Office Meetings, Diocesan Offices, San José. Thu, 6:30 p.m., V Encuentro – Hispanic Ministry, Meeting, San José. 20 Fri, 9, 10 & 11 a.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Fri, 1 p.m., Chancery Christmas Celebration. 21 Sat, 5 a.m., Simbang Gabi Mass Celebration, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Santa Clara. Sat, 7 p.m., Simbang Gabi Mass Celebration, Our Lady of Refuge Parish, San José. 22 Sun, 11:30 a.m., 4 th week of Advent English Mass, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San José. 25 Wed, Midnight, Christmas Mass, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San José. 26-Jan 2 – Office CLOSED JANUARY 3 Fri, 11 a.m., Mass at Sisters of the Holy Names, Retirement Community House, Campbell. 4 Sat, 11 a.m., Transitional Diaconate Ordination, Holy Family Parish. 5 Sun, 1 p.m., Spanish Sunday Mass, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San José. 6 Mon, 9 & 10:30 a.m., Internal Office Meetings, Diocesan Offices, San José. Mon, 2 p.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Mon, 6 p.m., Masters of Ceremonies Gathering, Queen of Apostles, San José. 7 Tues, 8 a.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Tues, 10 a.m., Pastors and Principals Meeting, Catholic Schools, San José. Tues, 2, 3 & 4 p.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. 9 Thu, 9 a.m., Council of Priests Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Thu, 3:30 p.m., Internal Office Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. 10-13 Fri – Mon, Out of State Business Travel. 14 Tues, 9 & 11 a.m., Internal Office Meetings, Diocesan Offices, San José. Tues, 2 & 3:30 p.m., Internal Office Meetings, Diocesan Offices, San José. 16 Thu, 9:30 a.m., Visit & Mass, St. Nicholas School, Los Altos. Thu, 2 p.m., Catholic Community Foundation Board Meeting, Diocesan Offices, San José. Could a Subpoena Possibly be a Good Thing? Yes By Father Hao Dinh, Vicar General & Joshua Bennett, General Counsel On December 9, the Diocese of San José, along with five other dioceses in California, received administrative subpoenas from the California Attorney General’s office requesting documents related to the mandatory reporting of allegations of sexual misconduct with minors by clergy and laypersons within the Diocese from 1996 to the present. At first glance, the word “subpoena” might be startling to some people. How- ever, the Diocese of San José views it as another opportunity for us to review our protocols to safeguard all God’s children, bring about justice, and foster healing for those who have suffered from abuse. Before receiving the subpoena, the Diocese provided the Attorney General with more than a thousand documents that did not affect the privacy rights of victims/survivors or disregard state and federal labor laws regarding personnel files and volun- teer records. These documents were provided in response to the statewide The Valley Catholic Publisher Bishop Oscar Cantú Executive Editor and Communications Director Liz Sullivan [email protected] Business Manager Rosie Zepeda [email protected] Production Manager Yesenia Cabrera Hall [email protected] 1150 N. First Street, Suite 100, San José, CA 95112-4966 [phone] PHONE | [phone] FAX [email protected] | tvc.dsj.org administrative review initiated by the Attorney General in May 2019. We, the Diocese of San José, believe that protecting all children, youth, and vulnerable adults and bringing about justice, reconciliation, and healing to all victims/survivors is our sacred duty. When victims/survivors reach out to us, we are committed to accompanying them on a lifetime of healing. We main- tain confidentiality for all who report past misconduct while also strongly encouraging them to share their stories with law enforcement. We have a responsibility to protect the privacy and legal rights of victims/ survivors, lay employees, lay volunteers, and clergy. In this sense, a subpoena may be good and preferable to an infor- mal request for documents without legal protection. It supports our shared goal of ensuring that the safeguards in place for our children are working as they should while protecting the privacy rights of victims/survivors and comply- ing with state and federal labor laws. We believe that by learning from the past, we can bring about true healing for victims/survivors and our Church. We published our credibly accused clergy The Valley Catholic (ISSN 8750-6238) is published for the Diocese of San José, 19 times a year: twice monthly except in August, December, and January (when one issue is published). The Valley Catholic is not published in July. Periodical postage paid at San José, CA and additional mailing offices. The Valley Catholic is dated and mailed to all registered households in the Diocese of San José. Subscriptions: $25 per year within Santa Clara County; $35 per year outside Santa Clara County Postmaster: Send address changes to: Diocese of San José, 1150 North First Street, Suite 100, San José, CA 95112-4966 Opinions, quotes, and views appearing in The Valley Catholic do not necessarily reflect those of The Valley Catholic and do not represent an endorsement by The Valley Catholic. Acceptance of advertising for publication in The Valley Catholic does not constitute approval or endorsement by The Valley Catholic. Address all letters, news releases, advertising inquiries, circulation, and/or subscription requests to The Valley Catholic at the address listed above, or e-mail at [email protected]. list last year and updated and expanded it six months ago after a thorough in- dependent review of diocesan records. We provide ongoing comprehensive services and care to victims/survivors of sexual abuse and encourage anyone who has not previously come forward to do so, first, by contacting the local authorities: police department or sher- iff’s office; and second, by making a report to our Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults, toll-free at [phone] or online via a third-party site, opcva.ethicspoint.com. We work tirelessly to ensure a safe environment for all God’s children. We are vigorous in our efforts to prevent the devastating sin of sexual abuse by promoting awareness, requiring accountability, and demonstrating transparency. Every bishop, priest, deacon, em- ployee, and volunteer, who works with children or vulnerable adults, must undergo a criminal background check, complete safe environment training every three years, and adhere to an established code of conduct. All Catholic schools and parish faith formation programs offer annual age- appropriate training for students on interpersonal safety and sexual abuse prevention. We undergo an annual independent audit to ensure full compliance with the articles of protection outlined in the national Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Es- sential Norms and Statement of Com- mitment. We have passed this audit every year since its inception in 2002. We believe in doing the right thing. We strictly adhere to a zero-tolerance policy and promptly notify law en- forcement and child protective ser- vices when abuse is reported, following mandated reporter laws. We cooperate with law enforcement during any nec- essary investigation. We will not be complacent. We pledge to continue working tirelessly to provide safe and nurturing envi- ronments for all and fostering a path of healing and reconciliation for those who have suffered abuse. Learn more about what the Diocese of San José has done and is doing in the wake of the clergy abuse scandal by vis- iting www.dsj.org/safe-environment/ promise-to-protect-pledge-to-heal. Deadline for the February 4, 2020 edition of The Valley Catholic is Friday, January 17, noon. Please submit to: [email protected]. ADDRESS CORRECTIONS To make corrections to your subscription, email us at: [email protected] Or cut out and mail to: The Valley Catholic 1150 N. First Street, Suite 100 San José, CA 95112 Questions? Call [phone] Please correct my name Please correct my address We are receiving two copies. Please cancel this subscription. Please cancel this subscription.