Summary of Themes from the Mass and Listening Session

 in Honor of Clergy Sex Abuse Survivors

St. Thomas Aquinas

 August 28, 2018

Father Michael Hoyt led us in 6:00 p.m. Mass and prayer.

Karla Hudecek, Pastoral Associate, read a reflection prayer followed by several moments of silence to begin the listening session.

Susan Brock Williams moderated the discussion, which ended at 7:45 p.m.

Susan began by thanking Father for allowing us the opportunity to pray, express our feelings and listen to one another.  She expressed that the session was a safe environment in which to share, we respect each other’s voices, and all present would provide confidentiality by name for those who express their thoughts.  She also asked that we limit our comments to clergy sex abuse.

The gathering of nearly 80 people expressed the following views, suggestions and themes:

  • We need to get back to allowing parish councils to be more like decision-making bodies.
  • We need to call what happened a “crime,” not a “sin.” The term sin discounts the gravity of what occurred.
  • We need more Eucharistic communities, small faith groups within the parish.
  • What about our own archdiocese?
  • There’s too much focus on sexual morality as a church.
  • What if Pope Francis knew about the charges of sexual assault against Cardinal McCarrick? Should he resign if he knew?  I really like Pope Francis.  I hope it’s not true.
  • We are a Church of Hope.
  • Where are the young people? Not many are here tonight.
  • Parishes always have to be welcoming to young people.
  • Look at the facts of the Vigano letter; he has shown no proof.
  • The bishops aren’t being held accountable.
  • We need action.
  • Our archdiocese needs to publish the list of those who have been credibly accused.
  • What happens within the seal of confession? Does a priest have to report abuse to authorities if he learns of it during confession?
  • States are working on legislation to eliminate or extend the statute of limitations as well as challenge the seal of confession.
  • Nice does not change things. Money is the root.
  • We need an accounting now. Get it out in the open.
  • Read the book Goodbye Good Men.
  • We are complicit, too. We have power, too.  Do something as a group, a parish.  It’s easy to blame others.
  • Voice of the Faithful
  • Focus back on the survivors. It’s a power differential. It takes time to talk about it.  Healing comes from community.  We need a plan as a congregation for those who come forward as victims.  We need to believe them, encourage them.
  • We are the Church.
  • I am heartbroken for all those priests who are good.
  • Go to Mass.
  • This story is not going to drive me away from all of you – who would be left? Only the bad?
  • We need these action items to be addressed:

– Secret archives need to be opened

– Abusive priests and bishops, including those who covered it up, must go

– We must have a third-party investigation

– Seminaries have failed in their jobs of vetting priests – we need an overhaul

  • Church should not lobby against statute of limitations legislation
  • Archdiocese will pay for counseling. (We will put information in the bulletin.)
  • Priests were probably victims too.
  • Be careful of false accusations.
  • It’s good that we finally know.
  • We don’t want all of this to come out in drips – let it all out everywhere now.
  • You have the word of everlasting life.
  • We have to forgive.
  • Diocesan priests should live in community, never be alone with children. We should require them to live in community of other priests, nuns, and laity.
  • We need to get ahead of journalists and others. We need to do it.
  • I come to church because of liturgy. The Eucharist is so important.
  • Personal relationship with God is key.

The session closed with a reading of the epilogue from Richard Rohr’s book Hope Against Darkness:

“‘You see the trouble we are: Jerusalem is in ruins …. Come, let us rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and suffer this indignity no longer…. Let us start…. Let us build’; and with willing hands they set about the good work.”

(The Book of Nehemiah 2:17-18)

“Brothers, let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing. (St. Francis of Assisi near his death)”