OGDENSBURG (NY)
Watertown Daily Times - NNY 360 [Watertown NY]
January 16, 2026
By Steven Nadeau
As a parent, there is no greater pain than watching your child suffer, especially when that suffering comes from abuse by someone you were taught to trust. I am devastated by what my son, Charles, has endured because of child sexual abuse by a Catholic priest. I live with the painful knowledge that I failed to protect him, and that is something no parent should ever have to carry.
What I can do now is stand with my son. I support him in every step he takes toward healing and justice. Charles has bravely spoken out in articles published by this paper, not for attention, but to expose the truth about clergy abuse and the lasting harm it causes survivors and families.
Charles and I traveled to Albany alongside other survivors and parents, joining more than a dozen voices demanding change. We went because we must end the cover-ups and bring truth and justice to light. Silence has protected institutions for far too long, while children and families have paid the price.
Church child abuse does not end when the abuse stops. It follows survivors throughout their lives, affecting their mental health, relationships, and ability to trust. Families suffer as well, carrying grief, anger, and guilt for not seeing what was hidden from them.
I am proud of my son’s courage. Speaking out is difficult, but it is necessary. I urge lawmakers, church leaders, and the public to listen to survivors, to believe them, and to act. Protecting children must always come before protecting institutions.
— Steven Nadeau, Massena