Laicization announced by Diocese of Worcester

In accordance with the Roman Catholic Church’s commitment to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Bishop McManus has announced that James D. Champion has been laicized. He was dismissed from the clerical state by Pope Francis. As a result of the laicization, he may never function in any capacity as a priest or be referred to as a priest or as “Father” in writing, such as in future obituaries, accoding to a press release from the diocese.
James Champion was removed from ministry in February 2004 and has not served as a priest in public ministry since that time. He was ordained in June 1976 and served in the following parishes: Our Lady of the Rosary, Worcester; St. Mary, Shrewsbury and St. Paul, Blackstone. He was also in residence at St. Joseph, Worcester; St. Patrick, Rutland; Ascension, Worcester and Notre Dame, Southbridge while he served on the faculty of St. Peter-Marian High School and Trinity Catholic Academy.
“Each time I meet with a victim of abuse by a priest, I am heartbroken to hear of the suffering that victim endured, often for decades,” said Bishop McManus. “Those meetings also underscore for me why we must be vigilant in our commitment to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops more than two decades ago. Please join me in prayer that Christ may bring healing and hope to anyone who has been abused by clergy or laypeople who represented the Catholic Church.”
Bishop McManus encourages anyone in need of pastoral assistance as a result of clerical abuse to contact the Diocesan Victims Assistance Coordinator in the Office of Healing and Prevention by calling the direct line at 508-929-4363.  
“As Pope Francis wrote to the Episcopal Conferences throughout the world in February 2015,” the bishop noted, “‘everything possible must be done to rid the Church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused.’”
The Diocese of Worcester is committed to creating safe environments in all diocesan parishes and institutions and continues to work closely with local law enforcement agencies and community resources to support that commitment. Since implementing the local policies based on the Charter for the Protection for Children and Young People in 2002, it has been found compliant with that charter in all the annual, independent audits conducted on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 
In 2014, the Diocese implemented online training in collaboration with Dallas Child Advocacy Center for all employees and volunteers to recognize the signs and symptoms of child abuse. In the most recent audit, the Diocese reported 3,793 background checks and renewals over the past year for ordained and lay employees and volunteers and 986 new trainings on identifying signs and symptoms of abuse. These are some examples of how the Diocese, its parishes and its schools have been supportive of the commitment toward the safety of children in their care.
The Diocesan Review Board meets regularly to review cases brought forward from victims of abuse, as well as concerns involved in the ongoing support of victims and their families who have come forward in the past. More than half of the board members are from outside the employ of the Diocese as mandated by the charter and have pertinent experience in pediatrics, law enforcement and clinical social work to assist the Diocese in meeting its commitment to child safety and healing for victims of past abuse. A current list of Review Board Members is available on the website, worcesterdiocese.org.