LOUISVILLE (KY)

The Courier-Journal
posted by Peter Smith
www.courier-journal.com

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani are sending word to victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests that they're welcome there any time for visits and quiet retreats.

The offer follows two meetings earlier this year between monks and the survivors, who told about the trauma of being abused by trusted religious leaders.

The abbey, located in a rural area of Nelson County, has long offered its retreat house to visitors, whether Catholic or not. Its offer to victims is mainly to let them know that this is available to them as well.

No one is required to attend any of the Masses or the seven daily prayer sessions, said Abbot Damien Thompson. Participants can simply roam the quiet grounds and nearby woods if they choose.

"Because of their experience, they're wary of the church," Thompson said. "The only thing we were trying to get across was, look, we have a retreat house available, if you'd like to come to the retreat house you can come. We're not hear to counsel, we're here just as listening ears. If you'd like to, come and have a silent retreat."

"We have people of all denominations come to the retreat house," Thompson added. "I think it's just to let them know our door was open and if they wanted to talk to a priest or a brother, they could talk to them."

Cal Pfeiffer, a member of the Louisville chapter of the lay Catholic group Voice of the Faithful, said that as a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest, he was deeply moved by the opportunity. He recalls older relatives going on more regimented retreats at the monastery and didn't know until recently that participants could just relax in a "place that's peaceful and quiet."

He's taking word of the offer to an upcoming national gathering of advocates for abuse victims in Washington, D.C.

"Hopefully through the peace and the quiet and the serenity, they can use that as some healing to maybe revive their spirituality," Pfeiffer said.

He described Gethsemani as "a very non-threatening atmosphere" even as it's a well-known Catholic landmark because it was home to the famed 20th century author-monk Thomas Merton.

"It's a very respected part of the church but kind of off on the side," he said.