News
List of accused clergy from Diocese of Davenport, Iowa
Submitted by webmaster on Sun, 07/20/2008 - 20:34.DAVENPORT (IA)
The Catholic Messenger
BishopAccountability.org
List released of accused clergy
The Catholic Messenger
July 17, 2008
The Diocese of Davenport has prepared the following list of clergy who have been found to have credible allegations of sexual abuse against them. The list is being released as part of the diocese's non-monetary undertakings of its bankruptcy settlement with survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
Pope gave Catholics permission to acknowledge survivors of sex abuse by bishops, priests, religious order men and women
Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 20:20.Press Release
National Survivor Support Working Group
For Immediate Release:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
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Catholics must accept responsibility to ACT to find survivors.
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The Survivor Support Working Group of Voice of the Faithful urges all Catholics, lay and ordained to go to their parishes tomorrow to meet with sexual abuse survivors, apologize to them and hear their stories.
Abuse Victim Reacts To Pope's Visit
Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 20:14.The thousands of victims who didn't get a chance to speak one-on-one with the Pope still experienced an emotional roller coaster, as they watched him address the sexual abuse scandal. One Duluth man who was abused by a priest in Proctor in 1965, said the Pope's words and actions is helping him put the abuse behind him.
"He made the first move," said Verne Wagner. "He said, 'We screwed up, not only are we ashamed of what happened, but we're ashamed of how we handled it."
Read the entire article.
Message from Kris Ward, Chair VOTF Survivor Support Working Group
Submitted by webmaster on Wed, 04/16/2008 - 15:49.I offer the following in the hope that Voice of the Faithful sees its way clear to offer a message of support to survivors, to the leaders of SNAP and Road to Recovery, and to the membership at large of Voice of the Faithful:
The Survivor Support Working Group of Voice of the Faithful extends its heartfelt concern to survivors of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests, religious sisters, religious brothers during the time of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States.
This is, we know, both a difficult and a perilous time for you.
U.S. Bishops Accused of Abuse
Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 04/14/2008 - 20:06.UNITED STATES
Bishop Accountability
U.S. Bishops Accused of Abuse
In the sexual abuse crisis, attention has focused on priests who have
sexually abused children; the problem of bishops and major superiors who
abuse has not received systematic scrutiny. Yet a bishop who is himself
guilty of child abuse, or who has other violations of celibacy to conceal,
has compromised his role in the formation of his priests and in assigning
them properly. Bishops who sexually abuse seminarians, as Anthony J.
O'Connell has admitted doing, may establish a generational pattern of
Sex abuse victims don't always remember all the painful details
Submitted by webmaster on Thu, 02/14/2008 - 19:15.Joe Towalski, in his editorial "Don't punish the innocent when rightly seeking justice" [Jan. 31], seems to suggest that people who have been abused but can't remember the details are less than credible. He clearly does not speak from experience.
My sister was sexually abused by a family member from early childhood to adulthood, not unlike the sex abuse victims of priests and religious, by someone she trusted and even loved. This was buried in her psyche until she was 45 years old. Fortunately, in therapy this came out and she was able to have some level of healing, though never complete. The abuser made a deathbed confession supporting this revelation.
"Cases in which memories are hazy and allegations difficult to prove" is language that could lead the reader to conclude, "If we can't prove it concretely, then let's just let it go." If a person feels that something happened, it most likely did.
Church should help abuse victims find healing, justice
Submitted by webmaster on Thu, 02/14/2008 - 19:10.My Turn
By Colin LaVergne
It often takes years for the negative effects of abuse to be connected with the abuse. A 30-year-old man may realize that his sexuality, his relationships and his self-esteem are messed up, but he may not have the insight to connect all of this with the fact that he was abused when he was 10 by a priest or a teacher or an uncle. So when he finally does make the connection, he needs to be able to seek healing and justice.
How does he make this connection? Maybe through therapy. Maybe by reading in the newspaper about his priest or his teacher being convicted of abuse that occurred 20 years ago.
Twin Cities VOTF Affiliate Nominates Fr Michael O'Connell for Priest of Integrity Award
Submitted by Suzanne on Fri, 09/14/2007 - 09:44.Mike O'Connell has been pastor of the Basilica of St Mary parish since July of 1991. He has created a safe and welcoming atmosphere there as is evidenced by the tremendous growth in that parish (1400 families in 1991 to 5400 currently) complete with a huge neighborhood Basilica Block Party held every summer which fosters great community building and evangelization. He is noted for his close relationship with the Jewish community, and for his commitment to justice (being pastor of Ascension parish, an inner city Hispanic parish, while at the same time pastoring the much larger Basilica).
Even though Fr Mike has done much good work in his current role as pastor of the Basilica, the heart of this nomination rests on his past role as Moderator of the Curia. That is a job he began in June of 1984. It was July of 1984 that the first case of a priest of this archdiocese abusing children hit the local papers. It was the beginning of a crash course in intervention, victim advocacy and education for Mike and many others in his position around the country. It was through his efforts that this archdiocese was one of the first to have a policy on education of all church leaders as well as clear steps for reporting any abuse. Had other dioceses moved as quickly and openly perhaps the abuse would have been mitigated much sooner than it was, and the Boston crisis itself, which ultimately birthed our own VOTF organization, could have been avoided.
This nomination of Fr Michael O'Connell is both symbolic and meaningful for all priests who had to refocus their ministry to deal with the burgeoning abuse crisis.
Monks offer haven to victims
Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 08/06/2007 - 11:40.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.
