Statement from Board of Trustees

The world has been both outraged and heartbroken at revelations of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. We share this outrage and heartbreak. The Society of Saint Edmund (which founded Saint Michael’s College in 1904) has published a list of Edmundites against whom there were allegations of sexual abuse of minors. The list cites reports of abuse that occurred from the 1940s to the 1980s. It is clear that this crisis in the church has been a part of our community as well.

Saint Michael’s deplores this abuse and recognizes the grave harm that was done to its victims. Furthermore, we are profoundly disturbed that some of the priests whose names appear on the list held roles and/or lived at the College even after these accusations had been made. We recognize that this causes considerable pain for many in our community.

In their statement, the Society acknowledged their deep sadness and sense of responsibility. Today the Society of Saint Edmund is fully accredited by Praesidium, a national organization for the prevention of sexual abuse.

The College’s Title IX staff are specifically tasked with tracking relevant incidents, conducting investigations, and providing training for faculty, staff, and students. Saint Michael’s will take all appropriate steps in response to any report of sexual abuse by any member of our community and will take immediate action to ensure the safety of our community pending the outcome of an investigation.

We offer resources for reporting misconduct and for those seeking support and healing. These resources may be found at:

https://www.smcvt.edu/title-ix

On behalf of the entire Saint Michael’s community, we wish to express our deeply felt sorrow for the suffering the victims have endured.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Cunniff
Chair of the Board of Trustees

D. E. Lorraine Sterritt
President