Since 2003, the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth has trained more than 263,000 priests, deacons, religious, lay employees and volunteers to recognize and prevent abuse as well as teaching more than 200,000 children to protect themselves from sexual predators. The OPCY has done this in more than 3,000 training sessions, conducted by 280 facilitators. The OPCY provides a range of services, including but not limited to the following:
- Provide child prevention resources for parents and caregivers on Children Matter Network.
- Offer outreach for victims-survivors of clerical sexual abuse.
- Receive and review allegations of abuse against clerics, laypersons and volunteers working in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
- Monitor Archdiocesan priests removed from public ministry.
- Assist pastors and principals to monitor compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in preparing for the Annual USCCB Audit.
You have the right to report your story, and we are here to help, listen and connect you with the right services. To ensure the best resources and investigation practices are engaged, we encourage you to report all allegations concerning the abuse and/or neglect of minors to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Hotline (1.800.25.ABUSE) and/or the local police department first before you reach out to the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of the Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY). If you need to report historical abuse, please contact OPCY at 312.534.5254.
We’d also encourage you to connect directly with one of the leaders of the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Assistance Ministry, a division of the OPCY that provides care, support and resources to victim/survivors of clerical sexual abuse, and their loved ones, in their efforts to achieve psychological, emotional and spiritual healing.
Thomas P. Tharayil, LCSW, BCD
Director, Office of Assistance Ministry
312.534.8267
[email protected]
Ruth Robinson, BSW
Assistant Director, Office of Assistance Ministry
312.534.8256
[email protected]
We encourage you to learn more about the OPCY and what we do by watching the videos below.
