[This article was republished on August 1, 2025. It was originally published in the Journal of Anglican Studies in 2024.]
[Editor’s note: This article by Mark Joseph Williams and Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, speaks with clarity and honesty about one of the most painful and urgent issues facing the Church: how it listens to, responds to, and accompanies survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
Rather than offering abstract theories or institutional talking points, this piece grounds its reflections in lived experience. It challenges the Church to move beyond defensiveness and to engage survivors with humility, consistency, and genuine care.
The authors explain that healing requires listening, honesty, humility from Church leaders, and the courage lay aside institutional self-protection.
The article also discusses the risks of re-traumatization in interactions with Church representatives. Trust must be earned, and those accompanying survivors must be transparent and emotionally aware. Further, the authors call for the…
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