Even though I have been a lapsed Catholic for a long time, the sexual abuse of children by priests feels like a personal affront. I am appalled and ashamed of the horrendous child sex abuse and cover-up by the Church. The abuse of innocent children by priests is simply evil and outright satanic.
Report On Sexual Abuse Of Children By Priests In Pennsylvania
The recent grand jury report in Pennsylvania details over 300 priests involved in sexually abusing kids over a 70 year period. What is appalling is the sinister way the church covered up for the guilty.
When it really counted, when innocent young lives were involved, all the church thought of was covering up and protecting the guilty. Furthermore, the guilty priests to go scot-free went on to abuse more victims. And the 1,000 victims the grand jury counted are more likely the tip of the iceberg, there are definitely more.
The ones who committed suicide. Or the many who are so mentally ill and traumatized that they just want to forget that their lives were shattered by the Satanist dressed in holy robes.
The level of deceit and evil these wicked priests harbor in their souls. Saying daily mass and posturing in front of people whom they are supposed to save.
How can a human being be capable of this kind of deceit? Even at my spiritual best, I’d feel inadequate to claim to be a true disciple. Let alone lecture someone about God.
Effects of Sexual Abuse Never Go Away
As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I know how sexual trauma casts a long shadow in one’s life. It not only colors your perceptions of yourself, it affects your beliefs about goodness and kindness in the world That feeling of being dirty and ugly.
But when a man of God, a model of propriety and godliness, abuses, it is beyond devastating for a child. Their perceptions and reality are forever distorted.
Sharing his traumatic experience, David Clohessy, president of the Chicago-based Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, “when a trusted person does something that feels terribly wrong and creepy, it’s a shocking kind of shattering experience.”
Victims of Sex Abuse by Pennsylvania Priests Share Their Devastating Stories
Church’s Cover-Up and Viganò’s Report
The worst part of this sordid affair is the denial and refutation of the victims’ claims. The recent letter by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò accused the Pope of being complicit in the cover-up of abuse allegations against former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and called for his resignation.
And till date, the Pope has said nothing. The Vatican has issued no statement.
The question that bothers me, how could the church, slyly transfer these errant pedophiles to another parish. The trail of destruction is long. I can’t imagine the number of lives these wicked humans have destroyed. And are they apologetic for their lapses? No, far from it.
The Pope continues as though he is the Messiah still lecturing common folk about family values.
Victims Must Be Heard, Statute of Limitations
Currently, the statute of limitations law allows victims of child sex abuse to come forward with criminal allegations until they are 50 years old. Victims can file civil claims until they are age 30.
Most of the allegations in the grand jury report go back decades; many of the victims are in their 60s and 70s – meaning they are years past the time when criminal charges can be filed.
“Basically the statute of limitations in my view is a get out of jail free card,” Tim Lennon, the President of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) tells TIME.
Unfortunately, due to the statute of limitations, thousands of victims of child sexual abuse who only now after years of silence are sharing their stories will be denied justice.
If we want a better world we need to bring these perpetrators to justice. We need to eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse worldwide, where the lives of innocent kids are at stake there should be no compromise.
Jesus said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Long Journey To Healing, No More Secrecy
Sexual abuse is horrible. But abuse by a priest is ‘soul murder.’ Yes, these priests are murderers because they destroy another human’s potential, happiness and mental health. Healing takes a long time and sometimes due to mental illness they are unable to garner emotional and financial support for recovery.
Moreover, abuse thrives in secrecy and silence. To stop the abuse of children, the vulnerable victim-survivors must speak about their experiences. However, that is only possible in a climate of support and acceptance. It is extremely difficult for survivors of sexual violence to overcome the shame, self-blame and speak out.
If we as a society want to eradicate this horror from being repeated, it is necessary to support the victims and bring them justice. Firstly, we need to eliminate confidentiality agreements (also known as nondisclosure agreements). Secondly, do away with the statute of limitations for crimes of sexual abuse.
There should be no time limit for getting justice, and it should be merciless. These are the false teachers against whom Jesus warned us about, they should be slain and destroyed. And, we need to stop financing these dens of sexual corruption.
Further Reading:
Bruce Andriatch: An open letter to my church that I never wanted to write
The psychological impact of clergy-perpetrated child abuse
