Pastoral Letter to be read in all Parishes September 22/23, 2012
Dear People of the Diocese,
Sexual Abuse by members of the clergy is a scandal that has affected all of us. For those who were abused it has caused pain, shame and a loss of trust and innocence. In a different and less direct way, this abuse has also led to pain, shame and a loss of trust and innocence in the rest of us as well, laity and clergy alike.
How do we heal this pain? How do we recover from this shame? How do we restore trust and how do we prevent such sins and victimizations in the future? Healing, recovery, restoration and prevention take time and effort and are dependent upon our willingness to desire, pursue and embrace these goals.
Sometimes we need help to name our desires, assistance to pursue them and encouragement to embrace them. It is with this thought in mind that Sister Nuala Kenny has been invited to come to our diocese this October to lead workshops on the subject of the clergy sexual abuse scandal. These workshops,entitled “The Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandal: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Remedies”, are intended to promote open, honest and prayerful dialogue among Catholics about the pain and suffering that has been caused by this abuse and to be a means of naming and accepting the spiritual, emotional and ecclesial challenges this scandal has evoked and unearthed.
One of these workshops will be held at All Hallows Church in Corner Brook with the opening session from 7 to 9 pm on Friday, October 26th, and continuing on Saturday, October 27th, from 10 am to 3 pm (a lunch will be provided to participants from 12 noon to 1 pm). The other workshop will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall on West Street in Stephenville on Sunday, October 28th, from 3 to 8 pm (a light supper will be provided to participants from 5 to 6 pm).
Sister Nuala Kenny is uniquely qualified to lead such a discussion. She is a Sister of Charity of Halifax, a medical doctor and a bioethicist. She was a member of the 1980’s Commission of Enquiry into Sexual Abuse by Clergy in the Archdiocese of St. John’s (Winter Commission). She was amember of the Ad Hoc Committee on Child Sexual Abuse of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) that authored “From Pain to Hope”, the 1992 guidelines for dealing with allegations of Child Sexual Abuse. Last year Sister Nuala was one of the main organizers of the conference “Trauma and Transformation: The Catholic Church and the Sexual Abuse Crisis” held at McGill University. Presently she is preparing for publication a book she has written entitled: “Healing the Church: Spiritual and Ecclesial Challenges from the Clergy Abuse Crisis”.
I know that not everyone will attend these workshops. Some may not have reached a point where they are ready for such an experience, others may feel that these workshops would not be helpful to them, and for others the dates and/or locations will make attendance impossible. However, I hope and pray that for some people of this diocese these workshops will be an experience that will be helpful, healing and a blessing.
The workshops are free of charge to any Catholic who wishes to attend but, so that we will be sure to have adequate seating and refreshments, we ask that you pre-register through your local parish office or by contacting the Diocesan Pastoral Centre at: 709-639-7073. Further information regarding these workshops is available in your parish bulletin and on our diocesan website at:
No workshop can take away this scandal or remove the hurt that has been done. However, I ask that you please join with me in praying for God’s blessings upon all who will participate in these workshops. May God’s grace working through this endeavour bring some measure of comfort, guidance and peace to those suffering from these crimes and the scandal that they have caused.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
(Most Reverend) Peter Hundt Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador