Mary Dispenza a former nun who was raped by a priest
at age seven thinks that pope francis is more interested in good PR than in
stopping priest abuse of children. As
Mary says, it is great news that the United Nations has condemned the Vatican
and the bishops for violence, rape and sexual abuse against children (see
January 20, 2014 post). Yes, the pope and his entourage are criminals because
they transferred known pedophile priests from one unsuspecting parish to
another and so allowed these crimes. Mary said, “It's shameful
that in spite of Pope Francis' refreshing compassion toward the poor and
downtrodden, to
date he has not addressed the issue
fully. Pope Francis is caught up in the shame and like most of his brother
bishops, seems unwilling to say, “Enough is enough -- not ever again in our
church will one of these little children be
harmed."
Like many of the survivors including myself, Mary
repressed the memories of abuse until she was in her 50s. The
pastor of Mary’s parish suspected Father Rucker of "touching" little
girls in 1947 but the bishop just transferred him over and over until 2002,
when he was finally defrocked – that’s 50 years – five decades of abuse. Thirty three women are now accusing him of
child abuse – who knows how many more were abused? This is abuse that could
have been prevented
A key point that Mary makes is that all the abuse was not in the
past – that is what the Church would have us believe. Mary says, “It lives on today. Pedophiles are
still in the priesthood. Coverups of their crimes are happening now, and
bishops in many cases are continuing to refuse to turn information over to the
criminal justice system. Cases are stalled and cannot go forward because the
church has such power to stop them. Children are still being harmed and victims
cannot heal.”
Mary knows as I know (as written in my book) how many tens of
thousands of children were, are and will continue to be abused. Because Pope
Francis is the leader of the Church he must tell the bishops and all clergy and
nuns down the ladder to put the safety of children first.
We, all the survivors that can speak up for ourselves -- and for
those too damaged to speak call on Pope Francis
to take action: report sexual
abusers to civil authorities, release the criminal records, order every bishop to immediately defrock any pedophile
priest who has ever sexually abused children – keep them away from the children
all over the world!
Link
to Mary’s article on CNN:
As a victim" I had a wake up when it was to late, in 2006 I was volunteering at a non-profit org. a man snuck up and grabbed me from behind" I was scared to death " when I looked over my right shoulder" I saw the man's face" and at the same time I saw a Priest face. This was the wake up call in my fifty's , I want to have Fr. Thomas Hanley arrested but " The Statute of Limitation is protecting him. This is all to late but" I didn't know" for all of these year's" that this happened to me, I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me; nor " I didn't even know that there was something wrong with me, this is very difficult to explain, It's like, for all of the day's on this earth" I was lost; and I didn't even know it. What hurts the most;' I missed out on bonding with my children" this is the most painful " of all. Anyway" I can't talk about it anymore" it hurts to much.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI understand about being lost. I walked around like you did, not feeling part of this earth. It also took me a long time (64 years) to get to the point where I could talk about what the priest and nuns did to me and my brother. I always thought it was just that one priest and one nun but now because of the internet I know how many children all over the world suffered as we did. All of us talking and writing will be the downfall of the catholic church because evil likes to hide in the dark and doesn’t like the spotlight. Read if you can’t talk and when you can talk come on this blog again because it helps you, and me and other survivors.
The victims won't be the down fall of the catholic church ( religion) it isn't our fault" The Vatican, Nuns, Priest, all of who cover up & protect them" are and will be the wrecking ball;" Victims for so many year's" drank their cool-Aid " Victims" we are the innocent by standards" We will now watch, the Priest, Nuns, etc. etc. drown in their own Cool-Aid. Will this be justice for the victims ?
ReplyDeleteI want to see all of the Priests, Nuns alive or deceased" brought to the DOJ " and be Registered Sex Offenders; to show the whole world" how many children they hurt ;"