LAFAYETTE (LA)
National Catholic Reporter [Kansas City MO]
March 28, 2024
I have degrees from two Jesuit universities and worked as a Catholic high school religious educator and music minister for 27 years (ncronline.org, March 27, 2024). My husband and I raised our sons in the church. My youngest brother is a member of the De La Mennais order. Catholicism is part of my DNA, but I am no longer Catholic.
After confronting my own childhood abuse at the hands of two Catholic priests, even after discovering among family a total of six victims of these same two priests, and even after Boston in 2002, I remained a faithful Catholic. I taught my students that an imperfect human institution was admitting its wrongdoing and was committed to change. But then it became clear that my church’s dis-ease was so deep, so systemic, that no real change was taking place – Cardinal Francis E. George, the author of the charter to protect children, was himself protecting an abuser and had been for years. Heartbroken, I resigned from teaching and left my church.
The United Church of Christ eventually became my spiritual home but I was never excommunicated. My husband pointed out that I was a lay woman so my exit was inconsequential.
Mr. Peyton, having my child abused would have been so much more excruciating than suffering abuse myself. I don’t want to imagine it. I am glad that you, like me, found a new faith home. Finally, I will “hold you and your family in the light” as the Society of Friends beautifully prays.
MONA VILLARRUBIA
Metairie, Louisiana