WASHINGTON (DC)
Catholic News Service via The Catholic Sun
December 28, 2017
By Carol Zimmermann
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The wave of accusations of sexual harassment, misconduct and assault from Hollywood to Capitol Hill and many places in between in recent months has been described as a revolution, a moment and a time for national reckoning.
The accused — abruptly fired or resigned — have issued apology statements or denied wrongdoing. Those who have come forward — predominantly women, but also some men emboldened by the solidarity of the #MeToo movement — were named “Silence Breakers” by Time magazine and honored as its 2017 Person of the Year.
“We’re still at the bomb-throwing point of this revolution,” the Time article points out, stressing that for true social change to happen, private conversations on this issue are essential.
And that’s where some say the Catholic Church has something to offer both from its lessons learned — and how it could do more — to support victims and foster healing.
The U.S. Catholic Church — tarnished by the clergy sexual abuse scandal that made headlines in 2002 — has taken steps in all of its dioceses to address and prevent the abuse of young people and will keep doing this forever, according to Dcn. Bernie Nojadera, executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection.
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