Diocese of Kalamazoo announces list of people banned from working, volunteering with youth

KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Diocese of Kalamazoo is announcing they are undertaking a “thorough review and updating of all its policies protecting children and youth.”

Bishop Edward Lohse says they will have a final and complete updated set of polices this summer and the first step is publishing a list of people banned from working with children or youths.

Bishop Lohse says there are three primary goals in reviewing and updating diocesan policies: protect children and youth; work to educate people to recognize predatory and other behavior that puts kids at risk; and work toward eradicating all forms of child abuse.

The diocese says the people banned from working and volunteering with children are on the list because “in the judgment of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, they have been credibly accused of actions that disqualify and prohibit them from working or volunteering with children or youth.”

The list includes clergy and non-clergy members and Bishop Lohse says it covers more than just people accused of sexual abuse. The diocese says some on the list are dead and others are well-known to the Catholic Church and have committed actions outside of the Diocese of Kalamazoo and are already on similar public disclosure lists elsewhere.

The list will be available at www.diokazoo.org/protect and currently includes six people who are alive.

Bishop Lohse says they made the announcement ahead of the Attorney General’s Office releasing its investigation of the Diocese of Kalamazoo later this spring.