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	More Healing Thoughts on Abuse By Daniel J. Bauer The China Post August 19, 2007 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/2007/08/19/118963/More-healing.htm At the close of a recent column on the subject of priests and sex abuse (July 22, 2007 here in The China Post), I said I would soon return to this difficult topic. Well, here I am again. A promise is a promise, and a few thoughts about compensation, healing and forgiveness still linger in my mind. In my words of a month ago, I spoke of the material compensation the Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles recently agreed to offer to persons who have been abused by priests or church workers. In July, Cardinal Roger Mahony apologized to the victims, and announced that the archdiocese had agreed to a payment of some US$660 million, to be distributed among 508 victims. A couple of truths about compensation and forgiveness are worth emphasizing here. They are obvious truths, but deserve highlighting. Money is only money. Sometimes a certain amount of money is actually irrelevant. One million dollars, two million, or three or more may not make a difference. Money cannot give victims back their childhood or their sense of innocence and dignity. Material compensation is helpful, but it cannot do everything that needs to be done. There are wounds that never heal, and although I have never been abused, I can believe that the suffering that results from it may never completely end. Damage from such aberrant behavior could stay buried within a victim forever. Is forgiveness possible? Can a mother or father, a brother, a sister, or a friend of a victim ever forgive the abuser? Can a victim forgive an abuser? I do not know the answer to these questions. I want to believe, however, that forgiveness is always possible in life, because love and religious faith (and the spirit of the human person) are stronger than the forces of evil. But I do not claim to know that forgiveness is possible in every situation of sin or human error. At the same time, I am convinced that forgiveness is inextricably tied to healing. Those who have been injured unjustly by others can only be truly healed when they can forgive those who have hurt them. That is so in all experiences of pain, including cases of sexual abuse. Last month I also wrote of the systemic evil involved with abuse in the Catholic Church. A culture of denial and hiding within the institution has for many years aided and abetted abusers, and I do not sense a sufficient number of bishops and other officials have come to grips with that fact. The placement of the former cardinal archbishop of Boston in a comfortable position in Rome a few short years ago is a disgrace and scandal on the back of other scandals. What we in positions of influence must demand is accountability and transparency. When a priest or church worker is accused of wrong, that person must be held accountable. An honest and thorough investigation of the charge must be made immediately. The investigation must not only be conducted by a religious superior, and not only by Catholic laity known for their devotion to the church. We should solicit the assistance of Catholics and non-Catholics alike who are noted for their moral credibility to study the merits of allegations. We must be transparent in our findings as an institution, not only cooperating with law officials, but alerting them of criminal behavior when we learn of it. My generation of seminarians was obliged to receive regular and psychological counseling. After college graduation, and as we studied theology for four years before being ordained priests ("shen-fu"), we had to meet with priests who more or less grilled us on the progress of our maturity and readiness to tackle the duties of priests. Occasionally that grilling was downright uncomfortable. Now, however, I see it was wise and necessary. Bishops and other superiors today must continue to be more vigilant than ever in the selection of candidates for ministry and priesthood. Father Daniel J. Bauer SVD is a priest and associate professor at Fu Jen Catholic University, where he is chair of the English Department in its School of Continuing Education. For updates on future column topics, tune in to Rick Monday and ICRT radio at 9:05 Friday mornings.
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