New award created for leader in victim assistance & abuse prevention

What do you do when an award doesn’t even begin to encompass a person’s work and achievements?

You create a new award.

That’s what happened when Mary Beth Hanus was nominated for a nationwide award for her work as the archdiocese’s director of Victim Outreach and Prevention.

The award she was nominated for would have recognized Hanus for her archdiocesan role of helping victims and looking into claims of abuse at the hands of clergy members and others.

But those evaluating her nomination realized her influence was much wider – in mentoring her peers who work as safe environment directors and victim assistance coordinators in dioceses across the country, and also in preventing abuse in the United States and other countries, thanks to teaching materials she developed.

So instead, Hanus was honored with the first-ever St. Maria Goretti Award for her overarching work. She was recognized May 13 at the 2025 Child and Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference in Clearwater, Florida.

Mary Beth Hanus

The conference attracted more than 300 people, mostly safe environment directors and victim assistance coordinators, but also Church leaders and clergy members.

“Mary Beth’s influence has been far beyond our archdiocese,” said Mary Maguire, a safe environment specialist who works alongside Hanus.

Maguire was one of several people who recommended Hanus for an award. Others included the now-retired Archbishop George J. Lucas and Deacon Timothy McNeil, chancellor of the archdiocese.

Deacon McNeil said the St. Maria Goretti award was the equivalent of a Heisman Trophy for Hanus, a feat for her field of work and ministry.

Hanus said she was shocked, humbled, overwhelmed and grateful when she was recognized during a beach ceremony held under a tent.

She credits the Holy Spirit and her office team for her success. “It’s a difficult but holy ministry, and I’m surrounded by a great team,” she said after returning to Omaha.

When she was handed her award, a statue of St. Maria Goretti, it was broken, to the dismay of the presenter. He apologized and said he would get her a new statue. But Hanus accepted it as it was, saying afterward that the statue represented well the wounded people she works with.

SHE LISTENS, SUPPORTS

The Archdiocese of Omaha hired Hanus more than 20 years ago as its first victim assistance coordinator to fulfill requirements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The charter was established in 2002 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. The document lays out guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability and prevention of future acts of abuse.

Hanus, who is licensed both as a clinical social worker and as a mental health practitioner, had previously worked with abuse victims at Children’s Hospital in Omaha and was one of the first forensic interviewers of child abuse in Nebraska.

“Being an advocate for victims is very dear to her heart,” Maguire said in nominating Hanus. “She listens respectfully and supports them, especially in the difficult time when they first disclose their abuse. In the name of the Church, she helps them feel believed and heard.”

Maguire said she’s learned from Hanus to “work prayerfully to bring the truth to light.”

“Discerning the truth is not easy,” she said in nominating Hanus. “It may show us new ways to help the victim or help the victim recall things that are important to finding the truth. It could lead us to more victims. It could clear an innocent priest.

“Regardless of the outcome, finding the truth is always good. … The importance of prayer in this process can’t be understated.”

HEALING WITH JESUS

Hanus stresses that only Jesus can provide true healing.

“We support the victims with compassion, provide different therapists and types of therapy, walk with them for as long as it takes,” Maguire said. “But only when they are ready to allow Jesus to truly heal them and feel his loving presence in their heart can they be made new again.”

“Mary Beth is incredible in the way she builds relationships in the name of the Church with our victims/survivors,” her team member said. “She slowly brings God into the healing journey, as they are ready, by asking if it is okay if she prays for or with them. If or when they are ready, she offers other archdiocesan outreach to them to help their healing process and build their connection with the Church again.”

Hanus has reached out to victims in the larger local community, including victims of domestic violence, with healing services and healing retreats.

She created a safe environment training program for clergy, lay employees and volunteers who have contact with minors or vulnerable adults. A pool of more than 100 trainers strengthens the program, which also establishes safe environment coordinators in parishes and schools.

With input from experts in education, ministry and mental health, Hanus wrote the “Circle of Grace” curriculum to help protect young people by teaching them that God created them as sacred and unique individuals, that they should set safe boundaries for themselves and turn to trusted adults if they are unsure about a person, if a boundary has been crossed or if they have been hurt.

“The result of this safety program,” Maguire said, “is that we are seeing more children and youth come forward in the grooming stage, many times before abuse has occurred.”

“Circle of Grace” is now used to protect young people in 72 dioceses in the United States and several other countries. Protestant institutions also use the teaching materials.

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