Remembering survivors of clergy sexual abuse

By Sam Lucero
News and Information Manager

From the Vatican comes news of a proposed initiative seeking spiritual reparation for the damage caused by the sexual abuse of children by priests.

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The proposal - made by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, on Jan. 4 - came the same day Deacon Tim Reilly, director of administration for the Green Bay Diocese, addressed the media in response to a civil lawsuit filed against the diocese Jan. 2. The lawsuit stems from cases of child sexual abuse by a former priest, John Feeney.

While church leaders cannot change what happened in the past in regard to protecting children from sexual abuse, they can work diligently to see that those sins are never repeated.

As this week's front-page story illustrates, the Green Bay Diocese is now an example to the community of how organizations can protect children and young people from exploitation.

We cannot forget the victims of abuse, who must carry their emotional scars with them every single day. That is why the proposed spiritual reparation for the damage caused by sexual abuse is so important.

According to Cardinal Hummes, the initiative will ask reparation "for the victims of grave situations of moral and sexual conduct" by clergy.

In an interview with L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Cardinal Hummes said that the prayer initiative seeks to "repair before God the damage that was done and to uphold once again the dignity of the victims."

The initiative will take the form of a worldwide program of eucharistic adoration. While the church has always promoted prayers for the reparation of the sins of all people, it is the first time it has focused on sexual abuse.

It's an important step in the church's process of repentance and reconciliation. Credit goes to Cardinal Hummes for remembering the survivors of sexual abuse and placing their spiritual needs in front of the universal church.

More information about the reparation initiative will follow when it is released by the Vatican.