Saint Luke Institute
Encyclopedia
Saint Luke Institute (SLI) is a private, licensed mental health
treatment facility located in Silver Spring, Maryland
. The Institute primarily serves Roman Catholic priests and religious women and men. Services are provided in both residential and outpatient settings. The Institute also conducts education and research programs related to the mental and spiritual wellness of clergy and religious.
The centre provides outpatient psychotherapy and spiritual direction, week-long clinical assessments for priests and religious in psychological difficulty, educational and consultation services, and a continuing care program for those who have completed a residential program elsewhere. After a clinical assessment, if residential treatment is indicated, referrals are usually made to Saint Luke Institute in Maryland, U.S. One of SLC’s main functions is to perform candidate assessments for aspirants to the priesthood or religious life. A considerable number of dioceses in England, for example, use SLC to screen its candidates for the priesthood.
St. Luke’s Centre is a registered charity, with its own board of Trustees. It operates in compliance with national and international standards for specialized risk assessment and other psychological assessments.
Initially, the Institute was a collaborative effort with the Marsalin Institute in Holliston, Massachusetts, which was headed by Father Jerome Hayden, also a priest psychiatrist. When Hayden died in 1977, Peterson became the leader of both organizations although the organizations remained separate legal and clinical entities. The Marsalin Institute facility was converted from a home for emotionally disturbed boys to a treatment facility for alcoholic clergy. Eventually the Holliston, MA location was closed leaving the one program in Suitland, Maryland.
Saint Luke Institute, like the Marsalin Institute before it, emphasized the importance of holistic care that addressed the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of its clients. In 1981, Saint Luke Institute began its residential program for men in Suitland, Maryland, primarily addressing the addictions of alcoholic clergy. A few years later, Institute services expanded to address mental health issues that frequently occurred alongside substance abuse. Based on his work at the Institute, Peterson became convinced that child sexual abuse among Catholic clergy was a serious and urgent issue. The Institute expanded its program to include the treatment of child sexual abuse and sexual compulsivity.
In April 1987, Peterson died from complications related to AIDS. His death understandably created some controversy. However, under the strong leadership of Cardinal James Hickey, the Archbishop of Washington and Chair of the Board of Saint Luke Institute, the Institute was able to continue its mission.
Peterson was succeeded by Msgr. Robert E. Bacher, who had served as Executive Secretary of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
’ Committee on Priestly Formation. Under Bacher’s leadership, the Institute continued the expansion of its capabilities beyond substance abuse and sexual disorders. The Institute’s holistic care was brought to those suffering from depression, anxiety, compulsive behaviors including gambling, overeating and other personality disorders.
In 1992, Father Canice Connors, OFM Conv. was appointed as the third president of Saint Luke Institute. A psychologist, Connors was the former president of Southdown, a psychological treatment center for religious founded near Toronto, Canada, in 1965. Connors oversaw the continuing growth of Saint Luke Institute, including its move to its larger, current facility in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1996.
Connors’ tenure in the early 1990s coincided with increased surfacing of accusations of child sexual abuse against some priests in the U.S. Several of these men were assessed or received treatment at Saint Luke Institute (see Criticism and Controversy section below). Connors became a leader in national efforts to bridge communications between the Church hierarchy and victims of abuse. This included chairing a 1993 “think tank” for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
on sexual abuse. Connors’ eventual successor, Father Stephen J. Rossetti
, was a member of the think tank, which produced "Recommendations of the 'Think Tank' on Child Sexual Abuse," published by the USCCB’s Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry later that year. They said, “We are concerned that the hierarchy’s authority and credibility in the United States is eroding because of a perceived inability to deal more effectively with the problem of child sexual abuse…We urge the bishops to respond to this tragedy decisively, pastorally, and immediately.” Many of the recommendations were eventually adopted nationally after the 2002 sexual abuse crisis erupted.
From 1996 to 2009, Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti served as president of Saint Luke Institute. Rossetti first began working at the Institute in 1993. He soon assumed additional responsibilities as the Institute’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. Rossetti continued to expand the role of Catholic spirituality in the Institute (which began under his predecessor Fr. Connors) and to strengthen its Catholic identity. In collaboration with the Archbishop of Washington, Rossetti began the policy of periodically requesting an Archdiocesan Visitation in which clerical and psychiatric experts appointed by the Archdiocese inspect the Institute for its compliance with Catholic theological and moral values. Visitation reports have strongly praised the work of the Institute. For example, the 2003 report said: “In sum, it is our conclusion that Saint Luke Institute is a fully Catholic institution based on Catholic teaching and authentic spiritual and theological principles. Moreover, it is the conclusion of the visitation team that the ministry provided by Saint Luke Institute is important and vital for the welfare of the Catholic Church and worthy of strong support by Church leadership, as well as a model for the treatment of priests and religious everywhere.”
It was during Rossetti’s tenure that a special residential program for Women Religious was developed. The program was developed by the women on staff and continues to be directed by them. While some of the therapy groups at the Institute integrate both women and men, the Talitha Life program is largely separate from the men’s program and has a unique approach and focus for women.
Rossetti stepped down as the Institute’s president in October, 2009 to join the faculty of The Catholic University of America.
He was immediately succeeded by Reverend Edward J. Arsenault, a priest of the Diocese of Manchester
, New Hampshire. Arsenault has a wide range of pastoral and administrative experience, including working extensively with Catholic healthcare and multicultural ministries. Most recently, Arsenault served as Moderator of the Curia and Vicar for Administration in the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire.
The Institute individual staff members are licensed by the State of Maryland as psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, massage therapists, physical therapists, and counselors.
. Though most of the clients at Saint Luke are treated for other issues, some are treated for child sexual abuse. Homosexuality has also surfaced in recent years as a subject of considerable controversy in the Church and in society at large. Thus, the criticism occurs in the broader context of controversies within the mental health community, the Catholic Church, and society.
The treatment of perpetrators of child sexual abuse has been a source of conflict around the U.S. and the Institute. Media reports often quote individuals who argue that pedophilia (a sexual attraction to pre-pubescent minors) cannot be “cured” and they object to any claims that they are. Clinicians who treat offenders often agree that these individuals cannot be “cured” but argue that relapse studies suggest that some offenders do respond well to treatment and, although they are not “cured,” they are less likely to re-offend. Thus, these clinicians argue not for a “cure” but for “successful treatment.” Several clinical studies indicate that treatment outcomes vary greatly depending upon discernable characteristics among pedophiles and ephebophiles (a sexual attraction to post-pubescent minors).
In 2006 at the annual Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers conference, Gary Thompson, Ph.D. et al. presented a paper entitled “Differences in Relapse Risk Among Priest Child Molesters.” They presented data from the Institute which said that the Institute had, from 1985 to 2005, treated 375 priests and male religious who had sexually molested minors and 22 were known to have relapsed (5.9%). They gathered this relapse data using not only re-arrest rates (typically used in relapse statistics), but also information from media reports, supervisors and peer reports, self-reports, and information provided by their dioceses/religious orders. The Institute relapse rates are low, which likely are the result of its extended treatment and follow-up plus the nature of its clients who they claim "tend to be higher functioning than typical incarcerated populations" that typically yield much higher relapse rates.
In 1997, the Institute began a policy of explicitly recommending to dioceses and religious orders that any priest, no matter how well he had done in treatment, if he had a confirmed history of the sexual abuse of minors, never be returned to unsupervised contact with minors, a ministry with minors or any one-to-one contact with minors. The recommendations of the Institute are simply recommendations since the Institute has no ecclesiastical control over its former clients. Ministry decisions are made by the sponsoring diocese or religious order.
In 2002, with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, this restriction was expanded by the U.S. Bishops to include any form of public ministry (allegations also are to be reported to civil authorities). Thus, any kind of future ministry was denied these offending priests. This “zero tolerance” clause remains a source of controversy for the Church. In effect, when the Church dismisses these men from the priesthood, the Church loses control over such priests and thus these offenders go unsupervised and unaccounted for. It is argued whether or not these offending priests are then less or more of a risk to minors than the previous policy of putting them in a supervised ministry not with minors.
The issue of homosexuality
has also led to criticism of Saint Luke Institute from both the Left and the Right. The “Right” tends to believe that Saint Luke Institute and its founder encouraged homosexuality. They believe the Institute should be using conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation of homosexual priests. On the other hand, the “Left” argues that the Church’s official position of homosexuality as “disordered” inherently invalidates the essential nature of a significant percentage of Catholic priests, religious and laypeople. The Institute maintains that it follows the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality, which maintains that any sexual activity outside marriage is a sin, including homosexuality. The Institute indicates that its goal in treatment is to help priests and religious manage their sexuality in a healthy way so that they can live a chaste, celibate life with integrity.
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
treatment facility located in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
. The Institute primarily serves Roman Catholic priests and religious women and men. Services are provided in both residential and outpatient settings. The Institute also conducts education and research programs related to the mental and spiritual wellness of clergy and religious.
Programs and Services
Saint Luke Institute offers a range of education and treatment services for Catholic religious, including the following:- Evaluation Service service to assess each patient’s physical, psychological and spiritual needs. The process takes one week.
- Residential Program for men to address critical needs in a healing, Catholic environment. It is a holistic program that addresses mind, body and spirit. Most clients take about six months to complete the program.
- Talitha-Life Program, a residential program designed by and for women, to meet the unique needs of Catholic religious sisters. Again, it lasts about six months.
- Halfway House Program for those clients who need more therapeutic time after the residential program in a step-down setting or for those who are transitioning out of ministry.
- Spirituality Program to renew the spiritualSpiritualitySpirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
life of the priests and religious who come for treatment; includes Catholic Mass, regular retreats, an outside confessor, spiritual assessments, prayer sessions, and spiritual direction.
- Continuing Care Program to help former residents after they return to their diocese or religious community. There is a signed contract between the therapist and the client which outlines their on-going program, typically lasting two to five years.
- Outpatient Program to support women and men religious, and laity, in the Washington/Arlington/Baltimore Archdioceses struggling with a range of psychological, spiritual and emotional needs.
- Consultation service to assist bishops, provincials and other church leaders in supporting wellness among clergy and religious, including when and how to intervene.
- Candidate assessment to assist seminaries, dioceses and other religious communities.
- Education and Prevention Services, including workshops, seminars and custom-made programs, to promote the health and wellness of Catholic clergy and religious.
Affiliate – St. Luke’s Centre, England
The St. Luke’s Centre (SLC) is an independent, sister organization located in Manchester, England, that supports the health and well-being of Catholic clergy and religious throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. The Centre was formed at the request of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, developed by Saint Luke Institute leadership in cooperation with Catholic leadership in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and operates in close association with Saint Luke Institute.The centre provides outpatient psychotherapy and spiritual direction, week-long clinical assessments for priests and religious in psychological difficulty, educational and consultation services, and a continuing care program for those who have completed a residential program elsewhere. After a clinical assessment, if residential treatment is indicated, referrals are usually made to Saint Luke Institute in Maryland, U.S. One of SLC’s main functions is to perform candidate assessments for aspirants to the priesthood or religious life. A considerable number of dioceses in England, for example, use SLC to screen its candidates for the priesthood.
St. Luke’s Centre is a registered charity, with its own board of Trustees. It operates in compliance with national and international standards for specialized risk assessment and other psychological assessments.
History
Saint Luke Institute was founded in 1977 by Reverend Michael Peterson, M.D., a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington. Peterson, who trained as a psychiatrist at the University of California San Francisco before entering the priesthood, sought to bring advances in mental health treatment to priests, particularly those with substance abuse issues.Initially, the Institute was a collaborative effort with the Marsalin Institute in Holliston, Massachusetts, which was headed by Father Jerome Hayden, also a priest psychiatrist. When Hayden died in 1977, Peterson became the leader of both organizations although the organizations remained separate legal and clinical entities. The Marsalin Institute facility was converted from a home for emotionally disturbed boys to a treatment facility for alcoholic clergy. Eventually the Holliston, MA location was closed leaving the one program in Suitland, Maryland.
Saint Luke Institute, like the Marsalin Institute before it, emphasized the importance of holistic care that addressed the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of its clients. In 1981, Saint Luke Institute began its residential program for men in Suitland, Maryland, primarily addressing the addictions of alcoholic clergy. A few years later, Institute services expanded to address mental health issues that frequently occurred alongside substance abuse. Based on his work at the Institute, Peterson became convinced that child sexual abuse among Catholic clergy was a serious and urgent issue. The Institute expanded its program to include the treatment of child sexual abuse and sexual compulsivity.
In April 1987, Peterson died from complications related to AIDS. His death understandably created some controversy. However, under the strong leadership of Cardinal James Hickey, the Archbishop of Washington and Chair of the Board of Saint Luke Institute, the Institute was able to continue its mission.
Peterson was succeeded by Msgr. Robert E. Bacher, who had served as Executive Secretary of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
’ Committee on Priestly Formation. Under Bacher’s leadership, the Institute continued the expansion of its capabilities beyond substance abuse and sexual disorders. The Institute’s holistic care was brought to those suffering from depression, anxiety, compulsive behaviors including gambling, overeating and other personality disorders.
In 1992, Father Canice Connors, OFM Conv. was appointed as the third president of Saint Luke Institute. A psychologist, Connors was the former president of Southdown, a psychological treatment center for religious founded near Toronto, Canada, in 1965. Connors oversaw the continuing growth of Saint Luke Institute, including its move to its larger, current facility in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1996.
Connors’ tenure in the early 1990s coincided with increased surfacing of accusations of child sexual abuse against some priests in the U.S. Several of these men were assessed or received treatment at Saint Luke Institute (see Criticism and Controversy section below). Connors became a leader in national efforts to bridge communications between the Church hierarchy and victims of abuse. This included chairing a 1993 “think tank” for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
on sexual abuse. Connors’ eventual successor, Father Stephen J. Rossetti
Stephen Joseph Rossetti
Stephen Joseph Rossetti is a Catholic priest, author, educator, licensed psychologist, retreat master and expert on psychological and spiritual wellness issues for Catholic priests. He has appeared on such television shows as Meet the Press and Larry King Live...
, was a member of the think tank, which produced "Recommendations of the 'Think Tank' on Child Sexual Abuse," published by the USCCB’s Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry later that year. They said, “We are concerned that the hierarchy’s authority and credibility in the United States is eroding because of a perceived inability to deal more effectively with the problem of child sexual abuse…We urge the bishops to respond to this tragedy decisively, pastorally, and immediately.” Many of the recommendations were eventually adopted nationally after the 2002 sexual abuse crisis erupted.
From 1996 to 2009, Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti served as president of Saint Luke Institute. Rossetti first began working at the Institute in 1993. He soon assumed additional responsibilities as the Institute’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. Rossetti continued to expand the role of Catholic spirituality in the Institute (which began under his predecessor Fr. Connors) and to strengthen its Catholic identity. In collaboration with the Archbishop of Washington, Rossetti began the policy of periodically requesting an Archdiocesan Visitation in which clerical and psychiatric experts appointed by the Archdiocese inspect the Institute for its compliance with Catholic theological and moral values. Visitation reports have strongly praised the work of the Institute. For example, the 2003 report said: “In sum, it is our conclusion that Saint Luke Institute is a fully Catholic institution based on Catholic teaching and authentic spiritual and theological principles. Moreover, it is the conclusion of the visitation team that the ministry provided by Saint Luke Institute is important and vital for the welfare of the Catholic Church and worthy of strong support by Church leadership, as well as a model for the treatment of priests and religious everywhere.”
Rossetti stepped down as the Institute’s president in October, 2009 to join the faculty of The Catholic University of America.
He was immediately succeeded by Reverend Edward J. Arsenault, a priest of the Diocese of Manchester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England in the United States comprising the entire state of New Hampshire...
, New Hampshire. Arsenault has a wide range of pastoral and administrative experience, including working extensively with Catholic healthcare and multicultural ministries. Most recently, Arsenault served as Moderator of the Curia and Vicar for Administration in the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Governance and Oversight
Saint Luke Institute is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JAHCO), licensed by the State of Maryland, is an affiliate member of the Ascension Health system and comes under the pastoral leadership of the Archdiocese of Washington. The Institute is a 501(c)(3)not-for-profit organization, with an independent board of mostly lay directors responsible for program and financial oversight.The Institute individual staff members are licensed by the State of Maryland as psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, massage therapists, physical therapists, and counselors.
Criticism and Controversy
Criticism of Saint Luke Institute has generally revolved around the issue of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and the issue of homosexualityHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Though most of the clients at Saint Luke are treated for other issues, some are treated for child sexual abuse. Homosexuality has also surfaced in recent years as a subject of considerable controversy in the Church and in society at large. Thus, the criticism occurs in the broader context of controversies within the mental health community, the Catholic Church, and society.
The treatment of perpetrators of child sexual abuse has been a source of conflict around the U.S. and the Institute. Media reports often quote individuals who argue that pedophilia (a sexual attraction to pre-pubescent minors) cannot be “cured” and they object to any claims that they are. Clinicians who treat offenders often agree that these individuals cannot be “cured” but argue that relapse studies suggest that some offenders do respond well to treatment and, although they are not “cured,” they are less likely to re-offend. Thus, these clinicians argue not for a “cure” but for “successful treatment.” Several clinical studies indicate that treatment outcomes vary greatly depending upon discernable characteristics among pedophiles and ephebophiles (a sexual attraction to post-pubescent minors).
In 2006 at the annual Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers conference, Gary Thompson, Ph.D. et al. presented a paper entitled “Differences in Relapse Risk Among Priest Child Molesters.” They presented data from the Institute which said that the Institute had, from 1985 to 2005, treated 375 priests and male religious who had sexually molested minors and 22 were known to have relapsed (5.9%). They gathered this relapse data using not only re-arrest rates (typically used in relapse statistics), but also information from media reports, supervisors and peer reports, self-reports, and information provided by their dioceses/religious orders. The Institute relapse rates are low, which likely are the result of its extended treatment and follow-up plus the nature of its clients who they claim "tend to be higher functioning than typical incarcerated populations" that typically yield much higher relapse rates.
In 1997, the Institute began a policy of explicitly recommending to dioceses and religious orders that any priest, no matter how well he had done in treatment, if he had a confirmed history of the sexual abuse of minors, never be returned to unsupervised contact with minors, a ministry with minors or any one-to-one contact with minors. The recommendations of the Institute are simply recommendations since the Institute has no ecclesiastical control over its former clients. Ministry decisions are made by the sponsoring diocese or religious order.
In 2002, with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, this restriction was expanded by the U.S. Bishops to include any form of public ministry (allegations also are to be reported to civil authorities). Thus, any kind of future ministry was denied these offending priests. This “zero tolerance” clause remains a source of controversy for the Church. In effect, when the Church dismisses these men from the priesthood, the Church loses control over such priests and thus these offenders go unsupervised and unaccounted for. It is argued whether or not these offending priests are then less or more of a risk to minors than the previous policy of putting them in a supervised ministry not with minors.
The issue of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
has also led to criticism of Saint Luke Institute from both the Left and the Right. The “Right” tends to believe that Saint Luke Institute and its founder encouraged homosexuality. They believe the Institute should be using conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation of homosexual priests. On the other hand, the “Left” argues that the Church’s official position of homosexuality as “disordered” inherently invalidates the essential nature of a significant percentage of Catholic priests, religious and laypeople. The Institute maintains that it follows the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality, which maintains that any sexual activity outside marriage is a sin, including homosexuality. The Institute indicates that its goal in treatment is to help priests and religious manage their sexuality in a healthy way so that they can live a chaste, celibate life with integrity.
See also
- Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
- United States Conference of Catholic BishopsUnited States Conference of Catholic BishopsThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
- Archdiocese of Washington