Clergy Sexual Abuse Victims Blog
Sorry, Bishops, it ain't over yet!
I did not realize how long it has been since I had posted something on the blog! Guess I've been to busy with work
at the hotlines, and press conferences, and conference, and everything else.
Since my lost posing the clergy sexual abuse crisis has gone "world wide!" Unfortunately the countries of Canada,
Australia,Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and others, have all added themselves tot he painfully ...
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Members of the Hierarchy say they are responsible.
The hierarchy of the church claim to be responsible. I agree --
- they are responsible for denying justice to those who approached them decades ago with reports of abuse;
- they are responsible for telling victims and their families to "be quiet" and cause scandal to the church;
- they are responsible for the lives of those who could not endure the shame of abuse and who succumbed to drugs, alcohol, and suicide;
- and finally, they are responsible for getting away with murder!
While they claim to be responsible, they have failed to take responsibility for their actions of the past decades; they have failed to provide justice to victims; they have ostracized predatory pedophile priests, but have failed to offer their own resignations for the scandal THEY have brought upon the church.
Travels
This coming Friday (July 25th) I will be heading northward -- need to get back into YANKEE territory and renew my Bostonian accent!
Actually, I will be visiting family that I haven't seen in two years -- and also two victims of clergy abuse. One victim is recovering well (enough) -- the other is still struggling with getting satisfaction from the Archdiocese of Boston. Hopefully my visit will help bring some peace and calm into his life. ...<< MORE >>
Actually, I will be visiting family that I haven't seen in two years -- and also two victims of clergy abuse. One victim is recovering well (enough) -- the other is still struggling with getting satisfaction from the Archdiocese of Boston. Hopefully my visit will help bring some peace and calm into his life. ...<< MORE >>
SNAP (Survivor's Network of those Abused by Priests) National Conference
SNAP will be holding it's national convention in the Washington DC area the weekend of 7-9 August 2009. It's a GREAT time for survivor's of (clergy) sexual abuse to gather, share their stories, reach out to others, and help the healing process. For more information you can contact SNAP at their website www.SNAPnetwork.org the conference info is in the upper right corner. See you there!!!
bostonpadre_20094249103.flv
The story of my abuse by a priest.
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Update on "Small World"
One of the families I contacted in Waban, MA (St. Philip Neri Parish) heard a conversation in which a "Fr. O'Brien" was mentioned. Long story short, Fr. Edmund O'Brien replaced Sr. Elaine Scully as CCD Coordinator -- and he drove an orange Honda Civic -- that was in the memory of the abuse victim we have been trying to help.
This O'Brien lived at St. John's in Danvers, MA and came in on Sundays for Sunday School. He is a religious Order priest -- Pallotine Fathers.
Last word is that he is in Ireland -- however, if you know of him, or were also a victim of his, please feel free to contact me at bostonpadre@yahoo.com.
Jim
This O'Brien lived at St. John's in Danvers, MA and came in on Sundays for Sunday School. He is a religious Order priest -- Pallotine Fathers.
Last word is that he is in Ireland -- however, if you know of him, or were also a victim of his, please feel free to contact me at bostonpadre@yahoo.com.
Jim
Update on "Small World"
One of the families I contacted in Waban, MA (St. Philip Neri Parish) heard a conversation in which a "Fr. O'Brien" was mentioned. Long story short, Fr. Edmund O'Brien replaced Sr. Elaine Scully as CCD Coordinator -- and her drove an orange Honda Civic -- that was in the memory of the abuse victim we have been trying to help.
This O'Brien lived at St. John's in Danvers, MA and came in on Sundays for Sunday School. He is a religious Order priest -- Pallotine Fathers.
Last word is that he is in Ireland -- however, if you know of him, or ...<< MORE >>
This O'Brien lived at St. John's in Danvers, MA and came in on Sundays for Sunday School. He is a religious Order priest -- Pallotine Fathers.
Last word is that he is in Ireland -- however, if you know of him, or ...<< MORE >>
Small World Afterall!
Last Thursday (March 5th) I was contacted by Bill Casey from Voice of the Faithful (VOTF). He informed me that he had been contacted by a victim of clergy abuse who is now located in Florida, but was abused in Boston. He asked if I would be willing to speak with him etc. Naturally, I agreed.
I sent this person an email with a link to my webpage (and blog.) I was IMMEDIATELY contacted by email so I asked for his phone numbr and promised to call when I got home from work. I called and we spoke for almost an hour. It seems that I gave him his First Communion and trained him to be an Altar Server when I was stationed at St. Philip Neri Parish in Waban, MA (1973-76.)
He told me that he had approached the Archdiocese of Boston and related all that he could remember from that time period. He said he had been abused by a "Fr. O'Brien" who taught him in CCD (Sunday School) classes in the church basement. This was after I had been transferred from the parish -- and we have yet to find any record of a Fr. O'Brien. All I can think is that he was a friend of another teacher or the CCD Coordinator and was "helping out." In relating his story to the Archdiocese the victim mentioned my name as well -- all with glowing comments of course! The Archdiocese, and in particular Fr. John Connolly, told him that everyone he mentioned was DEAD! Now, John Connolly was in the room with Cardinal Law and myself when I sat with them in May 2002 and told them my story. He knew that I was NOT DEAD! Not by a long shot!
I have been able to recollect the names of perhaps six or seven families who are still in Waban, and have written to see if they can recall anyone by the name of O'Brien. I learned that after I left the CCD Coordinator had SEMINARIANS helping with Sunday School classes, and they dressed in clerical shirts etc. To a young child they would "look like" Father -- so perhaps it was a Seminarian named O'Brien.
If anyone reading this blog is familiar with the story, or with a "Father O'Brien" PLEASE contact me so that I can help this young man find peace of mind. He is suffering DEEP depression, is homeless and has no medical insurance so he cannot receive any assitance. The Archdiocese has ignored him. I PROMISE to keep any informaqtion you give me as CONFIDENTIAL as possible!
I sent this person an email with a link to my webpage (and blog.) I was IMMEDIATELY contacted by email so I asked for his phone numbr and promised to call when I got home from work. I called and we spoke for almost an hour. It seems that I gave him his First Communion and trained him to be an Altar Server when I was stationed at St. Philip Neri Parish in Waban, MA (1973-76.)
He told me that he had approached the Archdiocese of Boston and related all that he could remember from that time period. He said he had been abused by a "Fr. O'Brien" who taught him in CCD (Sunday School) classes in the church basement. This was after I had been transferred from the parish -- and we have yet to find any record of a Fr. O'Brien. All I can think is that he was a friend of another teacher or the CCD Coordinator and was "helping out." In relating his story to the Archdiocese the victim mentioned my name as well -- all with glowing comments of course! The Archdiocese, and in particular Fr. John Connolly, told him that everyone he mentioned was DEAD! Now, John Connolly was in the room with Cardinal Law and myself when I sat with them in May 2002 and told them my story. He knew that I was NOT DEAD! Not by a long shot!
I have been able to recollect the names of perhaps six or seven families who are still in Waban, and have written to see if they can recall anyone by the name of O'Brien. I learned that after I left the CCD Coordinator had SEMINARIANS helping with Sunday School classes, and they dressed in clerical shirts etc. To a young child they would "look like" Father -- so perhaps it was a Seminarian named O'Brien.
If anyone reading this blog is familiar with the story, or with a "Father O'Brien" PLEASE contact me so that I can help this young man find peace of mind. He is suffering DEEP depression, is homeless and has no medical insurance so he cannot receive any assitance. The Archdiocese has ignored him. I PROMISE to keep any informaqtion you give me as CONFIDENTIAL as possible!
Statute of Limitations
The issue of the Statutes of Limitations (SOL) is a bone of contention for victims of sexual abuse. Many States, if not most states, have such a short time span on the SOL that the victim is revictimized.
A lawyer who has studied hundreds of cases of sexual abuse has noted that a person who is abused as a child by a parents, relative, classmate, neighbor etc. will often take 20-30 years to come to the realization that the abuse happened and that it has had a detrimental effect on their life. If the same child is abused by a "person in authority" (athletic coach, scout leader, clergy, teacher, police, fire etc.) then the average time it takes is 30-40 years. In the latter case it is the issue of TRUST that complicates the healing process.
Now, laws exist to protect the rights of citizens, or "the common good." If the SOL is of such a short time span that the victim is prevented from being able to seek justice, isn't the SOL PUNISHING the victim and REWARDING the perpetrator?
In the case of "clergy" sexual abuse victims the Roman Catholic Church yells and screams that to go to court (and loose) would force them to discontinue services to the poor and needy. How emotional! How dramatic! NONE of the (Arch)Dioceses that settled has had to cease ministry to the poor and needy. When they yell and scream "foul," or that they (the church) is being "singled out" they do nothing but play on the sympathy of their congregants.
The call today to remove the SOL is to protect ALL children and vulnerable adults who have been abused -- by ANYONE.
I encourage you to individually contact your legislators, encouraging them to push for the abolishment of the SOL, or at least making the time span sufficient for victims to have time to recover and begin healing. Aren't children and vulnerable adults worth it?
A lawyer who has studied hundreds of cases of sexual abuse has noted that a person who is abused as a child by a parents, relative, classmate, neighbor etc. will often take 20-30 years to come to the realization that the abuse happened and that it has had a detrimental effect on their life. If the same child is abused by a "person in authority" (athletic coach, scout leader, clergy, teacher, police, fire etc.) then the average time it takes is 30-40 years. In the latter case it is the issue of TRUST that complicates the healing process.
Now, laws exist to protect the rights of citizens, or "the common good." If the SOL is of such a short time span that the victim is prevented from being able to seek justice, isn't the SOL PUNISHING the victim and REWARDING the perpetrator?
In the case of "clergy" sexual abuse victims the Roman Catholic Church yells and screams that to go to court (and loose) would force them to discontinue services to the poor and needy. How emotional! How dramatic! NONE of the (Arch)Dioceses that settled has had to cease ministry to the poor and needy. When they yell and scream "foul," or that they (the church) is being "singled out" they do nothing but play on the sympathy of their congregants.
The call today to remove the SOL is to protect ALL children and vulnerable adults who have been abused -- by ANYONE.
I encourage you to individually contact your legislators, encouraging them to push for the abolishment of the SOL, or at least making the time span sufficient for victims to have time to recover and begin healing. Aren't children and vulnerable adults worth it?
Letter to Rome -- and the response
Last April, just after the Pope visited the USA, I sent a 15 page email to him. In it I quoted the victim from Boston who told him there was a cancer in his church. I went further to say that the cancer was in the form of the hierarchy. I encouraged him to look deeply at the problem, and to go so far as reprimanding/punishing/remove for office those bishops who were complicit in the cover up.
In July, since I had heard nothing, I printed out the email and hand delivered it to the Papal Nuncio in Washington for it to me forwarded on to the Vatican.
Again, months passed. The response? I received a phone call from the ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON stating they had been notified by the Papal Nuncio of my letter to the Pope, and asked if there was anything more they could do for me, besides or in addition to the counseling etc.
I guess that means my mail to the Vatican never left the United States! Another frustration with the hierarchical set up of the church!
In July, since I had heard nothing, I printed out the email and hand delivered it to the Papal Nuncio in Washington for it to me forwarded on to the Vatican.
Again, months passed. The response? I received a phone call from the ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON stating they had been notified by the Papal Nuncio of my letter to the Pope, and asked if there was anything more they could do for me, besides or in addition to the counseling etc.
I guess that means my mail to the Vatican never left the United States! Another frustration with the hierarchical set up of the church!
