UNITED STATES
Father Lasch
Rev. Kenneth Lasch
Monday June 6, 2016
Website Editor’s Note: As you will read below, this is the third in a series of four articles by Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea, noted psychologist She has expressed sentiments that I have felt for a long time. As most of you know, I have been an‘active’ perhaps even an aggressive advocate for victim of clergy abuse. Having been engaged in that initiative for over thirty years, I have experienced the highs and lows – mostly the lows of that ‘ministry.’ At one point in anger I initiated a website ‘blog’ entitled, ‘The Harvey Interviews’ as a vehicle to expose the issue on a local level. That endeavor was costly on many counts. Though the content was factual, the blog did not have the desired effect – dialogue did not occur nor was the situation described therein remedied. The personal trauma that resulted from this effort was heavy and lasting.
I have been involved intermittently with SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) for several years. St. Joseph in Mendham that as you may recall, became the epicenter of sexual abuse in New Jersey. St Joseph hosted a weekly meeting of SNAP in the parish center. It was very helpful in enabling victims of clergy abuse to name what happened to them and to have their stories validated. In essence it was a significant step forward for many victims. However, there were no ‘next steps’ provided by the group. As a result, victims who already had their story validated were not offered an opportunity to move on to the next level of healing. I felt then and feel even more so now that once victims of abuse have told their story, they need professional help to begin the long painful journey toward healing and recovery. The memory of what took place during their childhood, teen or young adult years may never be permanently erased but they can learn to turn their trauma around and it can actually become a source of growth for many, perhaps for most. In essence they can learn to disallow their trauma to control their lives.
One of the difficulties with the Bishops’ Dallas Charter of 2002 is that it did not provide for the proper response to the clergy abuse of ‘vulnerable adults.’ This category pertains to anything from sexual harassment to sexual assault of an adult who may be permanently or temporarily impaired, e.g., a person with a disability or someone who was given alcohol or drugs with the intention of obtaining a sexual favor or worse, sexual assault, i.e., the imposition of unwanted sexual contact. An example of the later occurs when a victim 18 years of age or more is ‘groomed’ with favors, e.g., alcohol over a period of time and then sexually assaulted. We certainly have any number of examples in the press these days. Sexual intimidation, harassment or assault by clergy or religious is particularly damaging because it effects not only the emotional and psychological aspects of a victim’s life but also the spiritual.
The Pope’s Motu Proprio pertains not only to the cover-up of the sexual abuse of minors but also the cover-up of the abuse of “vulnerable adults.”
Accountability for such cover-ups has not been forthcoming and remains to be adjudicated by the Holy See. Many advocates are skeptical that the Vatican will indeed follow through on the procedures that are being established. However, we need to move from an adversarial posture to one in which the principles of ‘Restorative Justice’ can be applied evenhandedly. Unfortunately neither church officials nor victims’ advocates are willing to promote this viable path toward healing – healing not only of victims but also treatment for predators.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.