Boston.com
April 28, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/gallery/042508_pope_book/
 |
| When Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, brokered a meeting between five Boston victims of the church abuse scandal and Pope Benedict XVI, he also presented the pontiff with a book.
The book, created by West Roxbury calligraphy artist Jan Boyd (left), contains the names of victims who reported being abused by clergy from the Archdiocese of Boston in the scandal. Photo by Pat Greenhouse |
 |
| Cardinal O'Malley said the 40-page book offered Benedict a symbolic representation of the tragedy. "I know the Holy Father was touched by it," O'Malley said. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| The book has no title, but rather begins with a quote from the Bible, Isaiah 49:15-16, "I will never forget you. Behold, upon the palms of my hands I have written your name." Photo by John Souza |
 |
| The names of 1,476 victims appear in the book, which took Boyd a little more than a month to make. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| The number of victims listed is far more than previously reported. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| To protect the identities of the victims, the book only lists them by first name. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| For victims with distinct first names, only a first initial was used. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| The deceased, many of whom died from suicide or drug overdose, are remembered with a gold cross next to their name. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| Boyd created the multicolored designs by immersing the pages in water and then covering them with a mix of paint and paste. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| She fashioned the unique patterns by scraping the paint-paste mixture with household items like combs, credit cards, and corks. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| Boyd also used a variety of colored ink to paint the names. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| The book now belongs to the Vatican. Officials at the Archdiocese of Boston say they hope it can be loaned back to Boston someday to be put on display. Photo by John Souza |
 |
| "Our names are very precious,'' said Barbara Thorp, a social worker who asked Boyd to make the book. "We are known by name to the Lord.'' Photo by John Souza |
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.