From the Friars: Lest We Forget

Back in 2019 Cardinal O’Malley required all priests to renew their child protection training every five years. That year the training was a review of the policies of the archdiocese and other helpful information. Fr. Andrew and I went to St. Rose’s Parish in Topsfield last week for our second round of update training. This time there was a panel of four victims of clergy sexual abuse who gave their testimony along with commentary from Vivian Soper, Director of the Office of Child Protection for the Archdiocese of Boston.

It was painful to be reminded of these horrible scandals and especially to hear the personal testimony of victims. The trauma of being deceived, betrayed and deeply hurt by someone who is upheld as a supposedly trustworthy and Godly person is a lifelong cross for them. A striking thing they had in common is that they are all now practicing their faith again. And they were ordinary people like you and I, clearly sincere and authentic in their testimony.

One gentleman spoke of the other “casualties” of his being abused. He went through a list of family and friends and how they had all suffered in very serious ways because of what happened to him. There were two empty chairs next to the speakers. One represented the many victims who are still suffering but would not be able to speak of their experience in front of a room full of priests. The other chair was for the victims that did not survive. The man told of his younger brother who was abused by the same priest and later committed suicide. “That chair is for him.”

All of the survivors mentioned the importance of remembering what has happened and various ways we can do this. It is especially crucial so that we remain vigilant in maintaining all the necessary safeguards to protect children. But it is also essential as part of the charity we owe to the victims, their families and other casualties. “They are in your pews!” Compassion demands an awareness of the pain of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Let us pray to Our Blessed Mother that they find healing and peace, and that such evil never happen again.

–Fr. Peter