I believe everything we learn about the sexual abuse of children is ultimately helpful in our understanding of it and has the potential for helping us move towards greater safety for our children wherever they may.
Another sad story unfolds in Alaska. You can read about it at Whispers in the Loggia. You can find the complete report and a related background story here in the LA Times.
The Russian Orthodox esteem St. Innocent (image above) as the Enlightener of Alaska and Apostle to America. With the innocence of so many savaged by those who came in Christ's name, let us ask the intercession of Innocent for the healing of those who have been abused and betrayed and for the restoration of trust and confidence in the Church...
The blog of another priest, in the Dallas area, has an interesting take on the sexual abuse scandal:
ReplyDeletehttp://presterthomas.typepad.com/whispered_in_the_sacristy/
He talks about how he and other priests are demoralized and feeling besieged.
I commend your inclusion in your blog of subjects such as this abuse in Alaska rather than choosing to ignore it. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for priests in these times.
ReplyDeleteIrish Gal,
ReplyDeleteI read the comments from the blog in Texas and it sounds just like many priests in the Boston area. There are many that are very demoralized here and have felt under attack. We must remember that it is a small percent of the total numbers that have been pedophiles. It is so important that we somehow let the good guys know they are appreciated. However, with that being said, we still need to acknowledge and do whatever needs to be done to heal - the victims and the church. Trust has been destroyed -big time, and it will take major effort to restore it. Rome doesn't want to acknowledge any of it and continues to want to bury it's collective heads in the sand. The Cardinals and Bishops want to say it is over and lets move on......HAH....it just keeps surfacing. Lay people have to fight to be heard demanding justice.
God help us all. Jesus weeps.
Anonymous (two above): What is painful for me is not so much being tarred with the same brush as abusers: I believe that most people make appropriate distinctions. What is painful is the task of making every effort to continue to reveal the truth while, at the same time, hoping and praying and working for "the restoration of trust and confidence in the church." Each one of these stories makes that restoration and efforts toward it more and more difficult. I need to keep reminding myself that it was HIDING the truth that is so much the reason we are where we are and that DISCLOSING the truth is the only path towards healing. But that's a very difficult path to walk.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do not blame the media for any of this. I continue to be grateful for the media exposing what the Church was obviously intent on hiding. Is the media without bias or error? No. Bias and error are in just about every report (and not just in reporting about sexual abuse by clergy). But at the end of the day a tragic history in Catholic Alaska which needed to be revealed, has had its story told. I wish the story had never been there to report but I cannot condemn those who tell the story.
Contrary to what many think, I believe the Church has made great even if imperfect strides in working to insure that this abuse not happen again. Very often the best efforts of the Church today to screen out potential abusers and to insure safety in our parishes for children does not enjoy even the support of a majority of parishioners. While I know that some bishops have an extremely poor track record on abuse prevention, they are not the only ones in the Church failing to work at making a safe enviroment.