The tragic reports coming out of Europe about sexual abuse committed against children by Catholic priests and the failure of some Church leaders to adequately address the problem have given us all pause as we are about to enter the most solemn and poignant periods of our liturgical year.

Deepening the concern and sadness that many Catholics are experiencing are the accusations that have been levied against Pope Benedict XVI, who has been criticized in the media for not being strong or strident enough in his efforts to eradicate this plight on the Church and her most innocent members.

Most would agree that these are grave matters that demand scrutiny and accountability. The Holy Father, himself, has called for an investigation into the ways that the Church is handling child sexual abuse.

But when it comes to how the media approaches this issue, we should be able to expect that the coverage will be responsible, fair and balanced. Unfortunately, we are already seeing evidence that this is not the case. That is particularly so when one regards the general failure of the media in the United States to report on any of the measures that have been instituted in this country to protect our children. Judging by any number of news reports issued by U.S. news agencies about the cases out of Ireland and other parts of Europe, one would think that the efforts expended here in the wake of our own crisis had never happened.

While we all agree that developments in other countries are deeply disturbing and compel an immediate and unequivocal response from the Church, we also need to acknowledge that ending the scourge of sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy and others has been a major initiative of the Church in the United States; and it has brought about positive and measurable results.

We should take heart that progress has been made in the effort to create safe environments for children. The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted by the U.S. Bishops in 2002, set into motion a comprehensive and robust set of norms and guidelines that together frame the safe environment initiatives put in place in every diocese.

Primary among the requirements of the charter is the immediate reporting of any credible accusation of abuse made against a priest to law enforcement authorities; referral to a diocesan review board which reports its findings to the bishop; removal from ministry of offenders; pastoral outreach to victims; background screening of any Church representative who will have access to children, training of Church representatives on how to create and maintain safe environments for children, and training for children themselves on ways to keep themselves safe.

Collectively, in the United States, the Church has screened volunteers in extraordinary numbers – an estimated 2 million priests, deacons, religious, teachers, coaches and volunteers have undergone criminal background checks.

Here in the diocese we have conducted nearly 29,000 criminal background checks since instituting these precautionary measures in 2004. Additionally, we have facilitated the training of 21,300 volunteers and we provide “Teaching Touching Safety” training to more than 80,000 children each year. As a result of this training, children are safer in all aspects of their lives, within and beyond the walls of their homes, churches and schools.

Indeed, these measures are working. The 2009 audit on compliance with the Charter shows the fewest number of victims, allegations and offenders in dioceses since 2004, and most of these cases reported to dioceses were from decades ago. These facts and figures were collected by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). The audit report can be found at http://www.usccb.org/ocyp/annual_report2009.shtml.

Most importantly, the U.S. bishops remain committed and vigilant in this initiative. Dioceses, including this one, are taking every possible step to prevent this criminal and sinful act, and are prepared to act swiftly and appropriately if such an act were to be reported.

The media has also been extremely unfair in their reporting on the Holy Father and his dealings with offender priests. The current image being portrayed of Pope Benedict XVI fails to recognize all that he has done to strengthen the Church’s response to victims and ensure that perpetrators are dealt with appropriately. Both in his role as cardinal and prefect, and as pope, the Holy Father has given this matter his utmost attention and concern.

It is not that anyone should expect the media to ignore abuse allegations either here or abroad. We have seen over and over again in recent history that responsible media coverage can be a catalyst for positive change.

But with an issue as sensitive and deeply personal as this, we would hope that the media would hold themselves to a higher standard of professionalism. There exists the potential for real damage to individuals’ recovery and wellbeing, to their faith and their very lives when truth takes a back seat to expediency and sensationalism.

Through all of the media blitz on this matter, the fact remains that the safety of our children has been, and will continue to be, among the most important priorities for the Catholic Church in the United States.