Stephen Joseph Rossetti
Encyclopedia
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
. He served as President and CEO of Saint Luke Institute
in Silver Spring MD from 1996 to 2009. In October, 2009 Rossetti stepped down from this position and in January, 2010 joined the faculty of The Catholic University of America to teach in the School of Theology and Religious Studies.
in Colorado Springs, CO in 1973 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF. He received an M.A. degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh
and served in Air Force intelligence. In 1980, he entered the seminary, Theological College, at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. In 1994, he received a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College
.
in Maryland, soon becoming Executive Vice-President. In 1996, he was made the President and CEO of the Institute. In 2009, Rossetti stepped down from that position and in 2010 joined the faculty of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
of priesthood. He has conducted scores of workshops for priests in the U.S. and abroad promoting psycho-spiritual wellness and written dozens of articles promoting priest wellness and addressing such topics as a healthy integration of sexuality
, anger management
, stress in ministry, and priestly identity.
His book The Joy of Priesthood highlights the importance of priests living celibate lives with integrity. The main thesis of the book is that, despite its challenges and struggles, there is a great joy in being a Catholic priest.
In 1985, Rossetti published a study of priestly life and morale. He surveyed 1,286 Catholic priests from around the United States and found that Catholic priests report being, by and large, a contented, fulfilled group of men. More than 80% stated “My morale is good” and more than 90% agreed that “Overall, I am happy as a priest.”
, he has said that there is no inherent contradiction between real truths uncovered by a secular science and the truths of the Catholic faith. This insight is a consistent teaching of the Catholic Church. (See Fides et Ratio, an encyclical by John Paul II.)
Rossetti believes understanding and integrating psychology and church teachings is an important task for Catholic ministers and psychologists. The healing program at Saint Luke Institute
, a mental health treatment facility for Catholic priests and other religious which Rossetti headed from 1996 to 2009, has become a model for this “marriage” between best practices in psychology and psychiatry and Catholic theology.
He was a member of the 1993 “Think Tank” for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB) on child sexual abuse. The group produced recommendations published by the USCCB’s Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry saying, “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 after the 2002 sexual abuse crisis erupted.
In 1994, Rossetti was a founding Board member of the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute, which promotes the prevention of [sexual abuse], exploitation, and harassment through research, education and publication.
Rossetti was one of the original consultants in 1998 that helped develop the National Catholic Risk Retention Group’s child abuse prevention program called VIRTUS. He was an expert adviser to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishop’s United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse that drafted the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People—commonly referred to as the “Dallas Charter.” He also participated in the April 2003 Vatican Symposium on child abuse sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life
. The Symposium was convened to “provide a deeper understanding of these issues within Church circles, and facilitate contact between the Church and the world of science.”
Rossetti published a study documenting the spiritual damage to victims of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in 1995. In 1997, he published a companion study that demonstrated that entire congregations are harmed when their priest commits child sexual abuse. One of the study’s conclusions was: “for the church to demonstrate to Catholics, especially parishioners of an accused priest, a swift, credible and concerned response to allegations of clergy misconduct.”
Shortly after becoming President of Saint Luke Institute
in 1997, Rossetti instituted the policy of recommending to dioceses and religious orders that priests or religious, having sexually molested a minor anytime in the past, never be returned to any unsupervised work or contact with minors. He has stated “one case [of abuse] is one too many.” During his tenure as president, Saint Luke Institute treated 150 priests who had sexually abused minors with four of these known to have relapsed, yielding a very low relapse rate of 2.7%.
Rossetti has stated that releasing priests who have sexually abused a minor back into society where they are unsupervised and unaccounted for is not the safest course of action for the protection of minors. Rather, he has advocated putting them through psychological treatment and then returning them to a limited, supervised work (either inside or outside the Church) which does not include minors or any direct contact with minors. Rossetti has also advocated for more effective screening of candidates for the priesthood, especially with regard to screening out those who are at risk for sexually molesting minors.
His edited work, Behold Your Mother, encourages devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rossetti was a Carthusian
monk and novice for a brief period of time before entering the diocesan priesthood.
In September, 2009, Ave Maria Press released his most recent book: “Born of the Eucharist: A Spirituality for Priests.”
External links
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
, retreat master and expert on psychological and spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality 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...
wellness issues for Catholic priests. He has appeared on such television shows as Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
and Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
. He served as President and CEO of Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute 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...
in Silver Spring MD from 1996 to 2009. In October, 2009 Rossetti stepped down from this position and in January, 2010 joined the faculty of The Catholic University of America to teach in the School of Theology and Religious Studies.
Education
Rossetti graduated from United States Air Force AcademyUnited States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
in Colorado Springs, CO in 1973 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF. He received an M.A. degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and served in Air Force intelligence. In 1980, he entered the seminary, Theological College, at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. In 1994, he received a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
.
Pastoral Assignments
In 1984, he was ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Syracuse. After ordination, he served in two parishes: St Patrick in Binghamton, NY and St. James in Johnson, City, NY. In 1993, Rossetti joined the staff at Saint Luke InstituteSaint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute 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...
in Maryland, soon becoming Executive Vice-President. In 1996, he was made the President and CEO of the Institute. In 2009, Rossetti stepped down from that position and in 2010 joined the faculty of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Priest Wellness and Spirituality Work
Rossetti has been a leader in the research into and promoting the wellness and spiritualitySpirituality
Spirituality 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...
of priesthood. He has conducted scores of workshops for priests in the U.S. and abroad promoting psycho-spiritual wellness and written dozens of articles promoting priest wellness and addressing such topics as a healthy integration of sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
, anger management
Anger management
The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger & aggression can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state...
, stress in ministry, and priestly identity.
His book The Joy of Priesthood highlights the importance of priests living celibate lives with integrity. The main thesis of the book is that, despite its challenges and struggles, there is a great joy in being a Catholic priest.
In 1985, Rossetti published a study of priestly life and morale. He surveyed 1,286 Catholic priests from around the United States and found that Catholic priests report being, by and large, a contented, fulfilled group of men. More than 80% stated “My morale is good” and more than 90% agreed that “Overall, I am happy as a priest.”
Proponent of Using Psychology in Theological Reflection
Rossetti has been an outspoken writer, lecturer and advocate for the importance of using the insights of modern psychology in collaboration with orthodox Catholic theology. As both an ordained Catholic priest and a licensed psychologistPsychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
, he has said that there is no inherent contradiction between real truths uncovered by a secular science and the truths of the Catholic faith. This insight is a consistent teaching of the Catholic Church. (See Fides et Ratio, an encyclical by John Paul II.)
Rossetti believes understanding and integrating psychology and church teachings is an important task for Catholic ministers and psychologists. The healing program at Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute 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...
, a mental health treatment facility for Catholic priests and other religious which Rossetti headed from 1996 to 2009, has become a model for this “marriage” between best practices in psychology and psychiatry and Catholic theology.
Activist in the Prevention of Child Abuse
Through his writings, workshops, research and participation in task forces, Rossetti has worked toward the prevention of child sexual abuse and raising consciousness of the devastating effects on victims. He has also worked on developing more effective treatment and supervision of offenders and creating institutional policies promoting education and prevention efforts.He was a member of the 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...
(USCCB) on child sexual abuse. The group produced recommendations published by the USCCB’s Secretariat for Priestly Life and Ministry saying, “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 after the 2002 sexual abuse crisis erupted.
In 1994, Rossetti was a founding Board member of the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute, which promotes the prevention of [sexual abuse], exploitation, and harassment through research, education and publication.
Rossetti was one of the original consultants in 1998 that helped develop the National Catholic Risk Retention Group’s child abuse prevention program called VIRTUS. He was an expert adviser to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishop’s 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...
Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse that drafted the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People—commonly referred to as the “Dallas Charter.” He also participated in the April 2003 Vatican Symposium on child abuse sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life
Pontifical Academy for Life
The Pontifical Academy for Life or Pontificia Accademia Pro Vita is a Pontifical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to promoting the Church's consistent life ethic...
. The Symposium was convened to “provide a deeper understanding of these issues within Church circles, and facilitate contact between the Church and the world of science.”
Rossetti published a study documenting the spiritual damage to victims of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in 1995. In 1997, he published a companion study that demonstrated that entire congregations are harmed when their priest commits child sexual abuse. One of the study’s conclusions was: “for the church to demonstrate to Catholics, especially parishioners of an accused priest, a swift, credible and concerned response to allegations of clergy misconduct.”
Shortly after becoming President of Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute
Saint Luke Institute 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...
in 1997, Rossetti instituted the policy of recommending to dioceses and religious orders that priests or religious, having sexually molested a minor anytime in the past, never be returned to any unsupervised work or contact with minors. He has stated “one case [of abuse] is one too many.” During his tenure as president, Saint Luke Institute treated 150 priests who had sexually abused minors with four of these known to have relapsed, yielding a very low relapse rate of 2.7%.
Rossetti has stated that releasing priests who have sexually abused a minor back into society where they are unsupervised and unaccounted for is not the safest course of action for the protection of minors. Rather, he has advocated putting them through psychological treatment and then returning them to a limited, supervised work (either inside or outside the Church) which does not include minors or any direct contact with minors. Rossetti has also advocated for more effective screening of candidates for the priesthood, especially with regard to screening out those who are at risk for sexually molesting minors.
Spirituality Author
Rossetti continues to write and speak in the area of spirituality. He has several books on prayer and the spiritual life such as I Am Awake, Fire on the Earth and When the Lion Roars. These books introduce the reader to the spiritual life and the life of prayer.His edited work, Behold Your Mother, encourages devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rossetti was a Carthusian
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monk and novice for a brief period of time before entering the diocesan priesthood.
In September, 2009, Ave Maria Press released his most recent book: “Born of the Eucharist: A Spirituality for Priests.”
Honors
- “Touchstone Award” from the National Federation of Priests’ Council, 2010.
- Conferral of Papal Honor of Monsignor, rank of Chaplain of His Holiness, November 19, 2006.
- Catholic Press Association Book Award. The Joy of Priesthood. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2005.
- Alumnus Lifetime Service Award from Theological College of the Catholic University of America, October 2004.
- Distinguished Priest Award from the John Carroll Society of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. for his significant contribution to health care ministry, April 2, 2000.
- Proclaim Award from the United States Catholic Conference, Catholic Communications Campaign, 1994.
Books
- Rossetti, Stephen J. ed. Born of the Eucharist: A Spirituality for Priests. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria P. 2009.
- Rossetti, Stephen J. ed. Behold Your Mother: Priests Speak About Mary. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria P, 2007.
- The Joy of Priesthood. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2005.
- When the Lion Roars: A Primer for the Unsuspecting Mystic. Ave Maria Press, 2003.
- A Tragic Grace: The Catholic Church and Child Sexual Abuse. ISTI Books, Liturgical Press, 1996.
- Rossetti, Stephen J. ed. Slayer of the Soul: Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church. Mystic, CT: Twenty- Third Publications, 1990.
- A Fire On The Earth: Daily Living in the Kingdom of God. Mystic, CT: Twenty- Third Publications, 1989.
- I Am Awake. Paulist Press. 1987.
See also
- Catholic University of America
- Saint Luke InstituteSaint Luke InstituteSaint Luke Institute 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...
- 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...
External links