The relationship, while inappropriate, was not abusive under safeguarding standards, the Jesuits said, adding in a statement on their website, “The behaviour did not meet established definitions of grooming or sexual abuse.”
Fr Howard, a former provincial superior of the Jesuits, was asked to step down from Oxford’s Catholic chaplaincy in August on grounds of “professional misconduct” after a complaint made on 30 July last year.
Fr Dominic Robinson SJ who stepped in as acting chaplain has now been appointed as Senior Chaplain, with responsibility for leading pastoral care and support for the chaplaincy community, and last month was also appointed Superior of the Jesuit Community at Campion Hall, succeeding Fr Patrick Goujon SJ.
Fr Howard is not currently in ministry and there are no specific plans for a return at this stage, the Jesuits said.
An internal investigation by the Jesuits concluded that Fr Howard had failed to maintain appropriate boundaries in his role as Senior Chaplain.
Following a request from the person who raised the complaint for further scrutiny, the Jesuit Provincial, Fr Peter Gallagher SJ, commissioned the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) to conduct an independent review.
The CSSA review, which cannot be made public due to confidentiality and privacy of people involved, found that Fr Howard’s behaviour was a “conduct” matter and not one of abuse or grooming. The review also suggested areas where the investigative process could have been more robust and recommended improvements in documentation, transparency and the creation of formal reports.
Jesuits in Britain said they welcomed the recommendations and are committed to implementing them in full.
Fr Gallagher said: “We are deeply sorry that professional misconduct occurred in the context of a pastoral relationship, where a high degree of trust is rightly placed in a chaplain.
“When a complaint was raised, we took it seriously, investigated it thoroughly and acted immediately on the findings.
“As a Jesuit community, we strive to uphold the highest standards expected of those in pastoral ministry, and take seriously the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries. Where those standards are not met, we have a responsibility to respond appropriately and to learn from what has happened.
“We recognise that the circumstances of this case have been difficult for those involved and for others in our community. We are sorry for the upset and difficulty this situation has caused, and we are grateful to everyone who has raised concerns, asked questions and shown care and understanding throughout this process.
“Over many years, we have sought to strengthen the way we care for those in our communities and respond when concerns are raised, with clear standards, training and processes in place. We know the way in which we maintain these standards is something we must keep under continual review, with humility and a willingness to learn. We will continue that work and take forward the recommendations from the independent review.”