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  Religious Restoration: Theresa's Faith Restored by Leaders Who Know the Value of Family, Forgiveness

Daily Gleaner
April 12, 2010

Religious restoration: Theresa's faith restored by leaders who know the value of family, forgiveness

Maybe it's my upbringing, but I believe the way I look at situations can be directly tied to my near 20-year career as a journalist. Your credibility is closely aligned with your capacity to be objective.

When I first started my journey as a reporter the only time I had a hard time looking at both sides objectively was in the courtroom. When trials dealt with the abuse and sexual assault of children, I struggled to be impartial.

Sadly I have witnessed and had to report on more than a few court cases concerning adults abusing their positions of trust.

Restoring faith: Father Bill Brennan at the altar with server Lauren MacDougall during mass. Theresa Blackburn believes Father Bill has helped restore her faith in the Roman Catholic Church after allegations of sexual misconduct by priests have come to light over the last two decades.

When I worked in Cape Breton in the early 1990s, I had to cover the trials of three Roman Catholic priests accused of sexually assaulting young altar boys.

In a particularly nasty case, the priest in question set up a weight room in the rectory and invited young boys in the community to come and 'work out' or wrestle. Sometimes the boys would lift weights with their shirts off, most times they wrestled in nothing but their underwear.

For more than two weeks I heard horrible stories of how these young boys were abused. In the end, this particular priest was convicted and sent to jail.

A close colleague who knew I was Roman Catholic questioned my continued faith in light of everything I knew, everything that was unfolding in Cape Breton and the horrible stories that had already been recounted in Newfoundland at Mount Cashel.

His direct question on a number of occasions: "How can you continue to go to church when you know what's gone on?"

It is a question I've asked myself time and time again. Every time I question my faith, I come back to two things. This is the faith that I was raised with - it is ingrained in me, and feels comfortable. Most Sundays when I walk into our church, I feel a sense of belonging, like a homecoming.

This is also the faith that guided my father through his ordeal with cancer.

Time and time again my father was asked how he was getting through 'this' so calmly.

They were referring of course to his impending death. He had the same answer every time. If he didn't have his faith, he'd be a wreck.

But here he was, in his last days, calmly taking visitors, holding my mother's hand, my hand, the hands of my children, my brother, saying his goodbyes as we all gathered around him, as he calmly waited for 'his time.'

It's hard to leave something that has been such a powerful and positive force in your family.

Then I met Rose Gregoire. Rose was a church leader in her little Labrador parish on the Sheshatshiu Innu reserve. She also suffered at the hands of a priest who served her community when she was a young girl. After years of grieving the loss of her childhood and innocence, she decided that what happened to her was an act of one bad man and not an act of a church or a God who loved her.

She embraced her faith and felt that her life was blessed because of her ability to forgive her church.

Ironically, when Rose passed away a couple of years ago, she considered her local priest, Father Chris Rushton, one of her closest friends.

Every time abuse comes to the surface, every time someone comes forward and describes unimaginable hurt and reveals deep scars, I feel a guilt I can't explain. I question my faith again, wondering if this is where I should to be.

Lately a man who not only shares his faith, but his life and his own life lessons with his congregation, easily restores my belief in my church.

Father Bill Brennan is a caring, intelligent, and witty man. I count myself lucky to have him as my priest.

He may not have a wife and children, but he is a family man, and I think it's his connection to family that makes him connect so easily with his congregation.

Father Bill is a Johnville boy, raised in a large farming family. His younger brother is a member of our parish and comes to church with his wife and young children. Sometimes his mom also joins our congregation.

Father Bill talks fondly of family get-togethers; of the new generation quickly growing in his family, and his newfound closeness to his mom after his father's passing.

When his dad died, Father Bill shared with us the wonderful stories of his youth, but also the pain he felt at losing a man who influenced him so ... someone he loved.

I've also witnessed his emotions bubbling under the surface when he conveys stories of hurt and of forgiveness.

He looks around his community and his congregation for inspiration ... and what does he find?

Stories he can share that connect us all. And really, isn't that what a church should be? A place where you feel connected?

Father Bill never wants to be put on a pedestal. He wants to be seen as a person who walks the path of faith with you, not in front of you.

He's not afraid to share his 'humanness' with us, and that restores my faith in my church. Personally I think too many church leaders are disconnected with the people they serve.

Thankfully Father Bill does not fall into that category.

And while I will be the first person to stand up and remind my church to take responsibility for what has happened to many children under their watch, I am also one of the first to stand up and remind people that my church is not defined by pedophiles.

And the strength to stand up for my church - to stand up for my faith - comes directly from people like Rose Gregoire and Father Bill Brennan.



Contact: theresa@mybigfatlife.ca

 
 

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