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For abuse victims, memorials at churches?

E-mail|Link|Comments (5) Posted by Michael Paulson February 1, 2009 01:51 PM

The construction of a garden dedicated to victims of clergy sexual abuse at the new cathedral in Oakland has intensified a national discussion among survivors about the merits of such memorials. In today's Globe, I have a story taking a look at the issue, and its ramifications here in Boston. An excerpt:

The garden at the Cathedral of Christ the Light is the nation's first permanent memorial to abuse victims at a Catholic cathedral, and it appears to mark a new stage in the abuse crisis, as survivors and church officials debate whether and how to commemorate the victimization of more than 10,000 youngsters by more than 4,000 priests. Two Catholic parishes, in Iowa and New Jersey, already have memorials; a religious order in Chicago agreed to build one as part of a legal settlement, but that project stalled when the order asked survivors to suggest the design.
In Boston, the epicenter of the abuse scandal, survivors and archdiocesan officials have been contemplating the wisdom of such a memorial since the crisis erupted seven years ago.

But within the survivor community, there are significant differences of opinion about whether memorials are an important way to acknowledge the phenomenon of clergy sexual abuse and lessen the secret shame many victims feel, or are hollow symbols that relegate an ongoing crisis to the history books and allow church officials to avoid taking more concrete actions.

There are two videos that accompany the story. This one is about the memorial:

And this one is about the architecture of the new cathedral:

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5 comments so far...

Michael Paulson,

The clergy sex abuse of minors was disgusting, appalling, enfuriating, all would agree. Memorials might be a good thing.

But I challenge you to write an article on the fact that there has not been one new report of such abuse in the last 7 years. You might think this would be a "dog bites man' story, or an "all planes landed safely' story, but i think it is a remarkable fact, in a clergy that was supposedly thoroughly corrupted. It could be an update on the Globe Spotlight Series. You could interview psychologists and social scientists for their opinions on why this odious abuse seems (please God) to have been completely eradicated. How about it?

Posted by gaudete February 1, 09 02:28 PM

What are you saying Gaudete? It sounds like the prayer of the Pharisee, "I thank you, God, that we are no longer like those others were".
Picking one's nose is "disgusting"; passing gas in a crowd is "appalling";
Having someone flip you the bird is "enfuriating; but child sexual abuse is a heinous crime and a mortal sin for which Jesus recommended a permanent residence at the bottom of the sea with a stone memorial around the abuser's neck!
The 99% of Christlike clergy we all know would probably agree.

Posted by Charlie Mc February 2, 09 12:09 AM

Charlie, I believe Gaudette is probably a little frustrated that the Globe never really writes any positive's about the Church. The Catholic Church most certainly deserved being criticized for the heinous crimes and cover up by the Priests and Bishops but maybe every once in a while the Globe might write something positive like the fact the Catholic Church is the largest chritable organization in time and treasure in the world. I will paraphrase one of my favorite quotes "There aren't 100 people whom hate the Catholic Church but there are thousands whom hate what they perceive the Church to be."

Posted by proud2bcatholic February 2, 09 10:18 AM

Like many others, I find it hard to entertain two simultaneous notions in my mind: that the Church can and does do great good in the world, and that it can and did cause great harm to many.

Thus, I would prefer not to have to think about clergy abuse. So I think memorials are as bad an idea as talking ill of the Church.

After all, in a manner of spiritually speaking, de mortuis nil nisi bonum.

Posted by Iohannes Climacus February 2, 09 11:48 AM

I do not see why a memorial? To remind those who were sexual abused by men of the clergy as part of a legal settlement. Just because no abuse has been reported in the last seven years does not imply that it just went away. I pray that is has, but it was hidden for decades. True?

Posted by jester February 2, 09 03:33 PM

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Michael Paulson covers religion for The Boston Globe. He shared in the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, won the Mike Berger, Templeton and Supple awards in 2008, and is a four-time winner of the Wilbur Award.
E-mail mpaulson@globe.com.

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Harvey Cox, the Hollis professor of divinity at Harvard University, marks his retirement by asserting a little-used right of his professorship -- to graze a cow in Harvard Yard. Photo, by Barry Chin of the Globe staff, taken on Sept. 10, 2009 in Cambridge, Mass.