Former Student Keeps Her Vigil outside the Campus Gates

By Elizabeth O’brien
The Crusader
February 17, 2013

http://www.thehccrusader.com/news/former-student-keeps-her-vigil-outside-the-campus-gates-1.2992385

On Monday, February 11 at around 11:30 a.m., some members of the Holy Cross community may have seen a woman standing on College Street who appeared to be protesting something and answering questions to anyone who came up to her. The woman - Kate - was participating in a vigil for justice after the Holy Cross administration mishandled a very traumatizing event that Kate went through.

      She asserts that she was sexually assaulted by a Jesuit priest while on a study abroad trip as a student at Holy Cross. Many years later, in 2003, Rev. Michael McFarland, S.J., the former President of the College, apologized for what happened and offered assistance. He also promised confidentiality, as did Rev. Dennis J. Yesalonia, S.J., the general counsel of the College of the time.

      However, the next year Kate found out that Fr. McFarland had released private information to a third party. She has continued to reach out to members of the Holy Cross administration, including the College’s current president Father Philip Boroughs, S.J.. Allegedly she is ignored, and some of her confidential information keeps on being released without her consent. Fr. Boroughs has taken action against Kate such as banning her from campus and creating an internal list with her name on it.

      As time goes on, she is learning of many more security breaches that are occurring within Holy Cross’s administration. In March 2012, Kate started the Hunger Strike for Justice at Holy Cross. This year, however, she has decided to initiiate a new vigil, one that she predicts might take ten years. She is determined to stand up for what she believes in.

    “My conscience requires that I stand up about these problems because I believe the college administration is hurting other people the same way,” said Kate. “This time [my vigil] will not end until I know that justice has been achieved.”     

  Holy Cross administrators have contacted Kate many times with promises of making progress with the issue, however the plans have not been seen through. For instance, she was guarunteed a settlement in 2012, but nothing happened.

   “I asked the College to cover part of the medical advice related to PTSD and income loss, cover the expenses of the long ordeal, and pay a ‘community fine’ to nonprofits and people in need of help so I could have at least one clear way of seeing accountability for the very unreasonable and years long delay,” said Kate.

   The purpose of the vigil is to try and make the Holy Cross administration solve Kate’s problem after years have flown by. She also believes she is not the only one who is going through this ordeal. “The main reason for the vigil is to communicate differently after all other ways of communicating were futile for years,” said Kate. “Holy Cross has been ambivalent about resolving all the problems I brought to the attention of the administration.”

   It is understandable that some students might be hesitant about sticking up for Kate’s cause. Dave O’Regan, Worcester chapter head of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests who participated in the vigil, believes students should be open to discussing the issues that Kate has faced.

    “When we love our faith and trust in the leadership it is easy to turn away from the issue of sexual abuse, a worldwide problem in the Church today,” said O’Regan. “The students can stop and talk with Kate when she is outside the college holding her vigil and see that she is a fellow graduate of Holy Cross who has been severely wounded by the insensitivity of College President who has been causing her further pain.”

    While Kate is very passionate about protesting, she is still a victim and has to deal with difficult emotional trauma. It is not always easy being in the spotlight.

     “Sometimes talking about it sets me back personally, so I have to keep it measured,” said Kate. “Like many victims, I can freeze when traumatic things come up, so I am only public when I can talk about some of it.”

   Just by recognizing Kate’s situation, students and faculty at Holy Cross can help her healing process. “Social Justice is reaching out to victims of abuse and helping them find healing,” said O’Regan. “The students and faculty can call to light the plight of Kate standing outside the gates in all weather and ask Holy Cross to meet with her and mediate her situation.”

   Despite the negative attitude towards certain members of the Holy Cross administration, Kate is able to recognize some justice in the matter. Fr. Yesalonia did reach out to Kate at one point and explained that he does not have access to the conversations that she had with Fr. Boroughs, and made an ethical choice to contact her. He did some investigating on his own and told Kate what he found, which was something he certainly was not required to do.