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COMMENTARY
Good Friday Vigil: Bearing Witness
from Vince Grenough, VOTF Louisville, KY
On Good Friday afternoon, about sixty people stood in silent vigil in front
of Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago for over an hour. We were there to support
those who have been sexually abused by priests or other representatives of
the Catholic Church. We were there to call for the resignation of Cardinal
Francis George. Most of us carried large signs, photos or other objects that
spoke of our purpose for being there. I saw two large "healing quilts" send
by the Healing Alliance (formerly the Linkup). One woman from Louisville carried
the First Communion dress and photo of a survivor, who was raped on that special
day by a priest, a trusted family friend. He continued to abuse her frequently
for four more years. That child’s sister, two years older, suffered the
same horrible abuse.
The vigil group was composed of people from many different places and different
groups. I saw people I knew from Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio,
Tennessee, Arizona and Indiana. I saw people who were members of Voice of
the Faithful, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and Call to Action.
Several were individuals who had heard about what we were doing and came
to join us in vigil. The mood of the group was serious, but somehow joyful
as well.
As we stood on the sidewalk across from the Cathedral about four hundred people
inside prayed the Stations of the Cross. Police who were there, inside and
out, were professional and courteous. Several media representatives took pictures
and spoke to individuals. It was a beautiful, breezy day.
As people came out of the Cathedral several of them walked across four lanes
of busy State Street traffic to tell us they agree with us - "100%".
Passing cars and trucks often honked their horns supportively. Some walkers
stopped and chatted with us. Many approved of what we were doing. I saw many
simply ignore us, and one woman who verbally challenged one of the vigilers.
Eight of us from the Louisville VOTF affiliate made the trip to Chicago. Before
we left, we met with about a dozen others, including survivors, in front of
our Cathedral of the Assumption for prayer. The prayer time began with the
statement attached below. It ended with a group blessing of those of us who
were going on the trip. Our prayer leader then gave each of us a small, cut
yellow tulip in a water vial. She asked us to care for our flower, unhandy
as that would be, as though we were caring for an abused person.
This day especially, I was proud and grateful to be a member of Voice of the
Faithful. I think almost everyone there had similar feelings.
LOUISVILLE VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL SPEAKS TO THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED BY PRIESTS
When you were young, we all believed that our priests would always treat you
with respect and love, and would never harm you in any way. We were wrong
to trust some of them, the ones who abused you. Instead of treating you with
respect they raped your body and your soul. We now wish we could have known
what they were doing to you so we could have stopped them and cared for you.
RESPONSE: For this we are sorry and we beg your forgiveness.
When you were finally mature enough to tell what had happened to you, we all
trusted that our bishops would believe you, protect you and try to heal your
wounds. Instead, they listened to their attorneys and focused on denying responsibility,
avoiding scandal and saving money. We should not have trusted them, but we
did.
RESPONSE: For this we are sorry and we beg your forgiveness.
When our bishops promised that your abusers would never be in a position to
abuse a child again they were often not being truthful. When our bishops said
they would correct one another fraternally, we trusted that they would do that,
but they have not. We should not have trusted them, but we did.
RESPONSE: For this we are sorry and we beg your forgiveness.
When some of you filed lawsuits as a last resort to stop this evil abuse of
more children, some Catholic people said you did it only for the money, and
by saying this they made you victims again. That was very wrong. We should
have thanked you for forcing us to see the evil that infects our Church.
RESPONSE: For this we are sorry and we beg your forgiveness.
ALL: We tell you this: We want to be able to trust our bishops
but we cannot and will not trust them until they stop everything else they
are doing, get down on their knees, admit their guilt, beg your forgiveness
and make your healing their first priority.
ALL: We promise you this: We will demand that our bishops
apply to themselves what they have applied to our priests – if they
knowingly allow the abuse of one child by a priest they themselves must immediately
be removed from clerical ministry.
ALL: We say all of these things because we care deeply for
your welfare and your healing.
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