Steibe-Pasalich named to National Review Board

A native of Baltimore has been named to the National Review Board of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Susan Steibe-Pasalich is one of five new members appointed by Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, president of the USCCB. The National Review Board was established by the U.S. Bishops in 2002 to collaborate with them in preventing sexual abuse of minors by persons serving the Church.

A licensed clinical psychologist, Ms. Steibe-Pasalich is director of the University of Notre Dame Counseling Center. She and her four siblings attended St. Elizabeth School in Highlandtown.

Ms. Steibe-Pasalich graduated from The Catholic High School of Baltimore in 1968 and received her undergraduate degree from The Catholic University of America and a doctorate in psychology from the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She joined Notre Dame’s Counseling Center as a staff psychologist in 1982. In 1990 she became assistant director and has been director since 2003. She also is a concurrent assistant professor in the psychology department.

Since 1992, Ms. Steibe-Pasalich has been a consultant to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, doing psychological evaluations of candidates for the seminary and making recommendations to the diocesan vocations director.

The national board provides policy advice to the USCCB and approves reports on implementing the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in every diocese.

The national board also commissions studies that have to do with sexual abuse. The first study was on the nature and scope of the sexual abuse problem in the church. The second study deals with causes and context. Referring to the second study, Ms. Steibe-Pasalich said “it’s an exciting time” to be on the board as a psychologist because psychologists study behavior, causes and treatment.

The other new members joining the National Review Board are: Judge Michael R. Merz of Dayton, Ohio, who will be the new chair; Dr. Emmet M. Kenney Jr., a psychiatrist in Fargo, North Dakota; Diane M. Knight, a social services professional who recently retired as executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Judge Robert C. Kohm, a justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; and Dr. José Santiago, a psychiatrist who is senior vice president and chief medical officer of the Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, Ariz.

The National Board Members all are appointed by and report to Bishop Skylstad. They serve a three-year term and meet as a board five times a year. Their service is voluntary.

This article first appeared in Today’s Catholic.