As a Catholic wife, mother and supporter in the Survivors of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), as a society, have we truly supported justice to those who were victims of Soul Murder, most commonly referred to as clergy sex abuse survivors?
After submitting several articles and letters to editors nationwide concerning the protections of children and those who protect them as mandated reporters (Whistleblowers), most often my exercises of free speech, press and opinion have been labeled as anti-Catholicism or just another writing of a non-politically connected "crazy" lady. This is the furthest thing from the truth.
After conducting a recent internet search, it is evident that our society supports justice and legislation that demands legal, moral and financial accountability for crimes committed against children and other violations of the law, i.e., killings, fatal accidents, kidnapping, bank robberies and weapons of mass destruction. The phrases listed below were searched, and multiple internet hits were revealed. The hits revealed an interesting story on the subjects below:
*Witnesses Sought to Killings..."
"Witnesses Sought to Fatal Accident..."
"Witnesses Sought to Kidnapping..."
"Witnesses Sought to Bank Robbery..."
"Witnesses Sought to Weapons of Mass Destruction..."
However, there is one phrase that did not reveal multiple internet hits:
"Witnesses Sought to Soul Murder...(Clergy Sex Abuse Crimes)"
As a society, is there a reason why the media, government and religious leaders have not publicly supported justice and due process when it relates to Soul Murder, clergy sex abuse crimes committed against children by employees of religious and/or private organizations?
As a society, are we only outraged by a sense of injury, injustice and healing to survivors of past clergy sex abuses if it directly involves one of our children, family members or personal friends?
This week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will be meeting in Los Angeles, California. During that meeting, many topics will be discussed and matters of concern will most likely be resolved. However, as a society, can we possibly understand the impact of forgetting about Soul Murder, the lives of precious children and families that have suffered in shame and silence, without due process or a day in court?
A select few ethical journalists, priests, clergy, attorneys and government leaders have assisted survivors of Soul Murder in their public outcry, outreach and attempts to seek new legislation nationwide that would return due process to victims of Soul Murder. But, the questions to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this week will hopefully address the questions below:
When will U.S. Bishops, legal advisors, government and political leaders,
* assist the media with headlines "Witnesses Sought to Soul Murder,
As an amateur writer, mother, wife and legal secretary for the past 25 years, my passion for the courage of clergy sex abuse victims, their families and mandated reporters, who made a choice to protect children, before their own career security and ego, has evolved over the past 5 years.
My husband, Michael, is a former Catholic high school teacher and coach, who was forced to make a career change without due process of the law. He will soon complete his Masters Degree in Special Education, his new-found passion. Our children, Nicole, Rachel, Brent and Laurel are a gift to us and all who meet them. We pray our children and the world's children will witness society correcting the wrongs committed against innocent children and families. Without justice, there will never be peace; without peace, faith and our country's laws are empty.
I know what deep injury to your soul feels like; what makes it worse is the difficulty and inability to communicate and share the trauma verbally with others. As hard as I have tried, it has accomplished the direct opposite.
I also know that the sensitivity and size of my soul has absolutely no special relationship to religion, the church and priests. On the contrary, when you largely operate from your soul, and this is the source that most strongly drives you......I do not see how with a little processing and extra insight this person can possibly believe in any religion, or follow the teachings of some priest or preacher. it's just...that you know. And once you know something, you cannot at the same time have beliefs about it. I absolutely agree with you about the unfairness and all the lies and promises of what we are told and believe in...until we are personally hit and confronted with state, goverment , lawyers, justice and the system in general. That alone is an incredibly traumatic and ongoing event...the betrayal.....losing the safe connection with the world around us...the shattered beliefs...the fact that nobody else believes us over the authorities.
My point is just that the soul is independent ....don't insult it by placing it as something invented or created by church, religion, priests..... and limited to sex abuse and children.
by
Katrin R. (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 522 comments)
on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 11:45:47 PM
