Maybe it sounds melodramatic, but more and more I feel like your mission is the missing piece.
I never went through religious formation as a novice or sister, but my own experiences with growing up near a religious order (I have a dear childhood friend who's currently a sister with that order) and experiencing sexual and emotional abuse by a priest I considered my spiritual director has given me a small glimpse of what's asked of y'all and how absolutely
destructive an evil man entrusted with formation could be. Enough that it's crossed my mind to be terrified for my son and daughters should they experience a call to religious life. I feel like should they experience that call, there's several very frank conversations we're going to have to have.
I'm so thankful you're doing what you're doing. They say sunlight is the best disinfectant, and the light you're helping to shine on this is so desperately needed.
I agree, this mission of confronting abuse head on and in the Light is the linchpin on which the direction of the Church rests. It's not melodramatic; it's the truth. If we as Church are to heal, we must first grapple with what has happened.
There is something else that is really powerful about your work that needs to be acknowledged. The vast majority of people that I see confronting this darkness from within the church are WOMEN. Women continue to keep me Catholic, to point me towards Jesus, and to remind me that WE as members od the Body of Christ ARE the Church. We who follow The Way, The Truth, and The Life are Christ's hands and feet, even when the institution as we know it is rotting from the inside out. The Church as an Earthly institution has done great harm to many people. I'm following y'all following Christ to the fringes.
Thank you Emily for sharing what is obviously a traumatic wound in your life. While I don't know the ages of your children, I would think that whatever path their vocation is you'll likely have that sensitive conversation. May God guide and heal you when you do speak with your children.
Thank you for speaking out about the abuse that you both experienced when in the convent. It helps others who have been abused by members of the Church to speak out too. I continue to speak out as well, and like you I have received negative feedback as well as even a threat by a priest who commented on one of my articles. I will continue to speak the truth, not for myself but for others to have the courage to speak out and to know they are not alone. Again, thank you for sharing your story. That means a lot to us who are survivors of abuse, especially abuse in the convent.
I cannot say enough how grateful I am for your mission, your courage, and your profound love. I have been struggling a lot with abuse within the church and the less than ideal response of church officials to such abuse. Reading your story has given me so much hope-that God and the Holy Spirit can indeed raise up heroes and saints even out of the darkest of circumstances and greatest of evils. I will be praying for you all. God bless you!
I'm inspired by your example - the dual examples of the courage to reveal dark and painful aspects of the life of the Church, and the courage to remain open to Christ and not be swayed in your call(s). The call for healing and reform lands most powerfully in my ears when it comes from within. I look forward to learning from your ongoing work.
I do not claim to grasp the Little Flower's way of speaking about the faith--I may be one of those who find her off-putting. But I do appreciate her example of tenacity, and yours. May God guide you right and richly reward you. Thank you for your prayers, your honesty, and your work. I know many of us are listening and praying along.
Thank you so, so much for your witness! Sisters, you are in my prayers and I am so grateful that you are allowing God to work through you in so many beautiful ways!
I just really want you to know, for your own sake, that your intuition is not broken by your wounds. If you are stabbed, it doesn't mean that you can't recognize a snake, it just means that you might be slow to respond to the threat. People need to STOP treating previous trauma the way they do and simply work to protect the vulnerable. My sisters in Christ, my heart is burning for you. You deserve to know that you're loved and treasured and that there are those who would lay down their lives to protect every hair on your head.
Introspection and a critical view of our sins is necessary for a good confession. The same is true, I believe, to aid the Church in healing from and recovering from past sins in the Body of Christ that is the Church. It is painful to conduct my examination of conscience, and doing so on an institutional level is hard too.
Maybe it sounds melodramatic, but more and more I feel like your mission is the missing piece.
I never went through religious formation as a novice or sister, but my own experiences with growing up near a religious order (I have a dear childhood friend who's currently a sister with that order) and experiencing sexual and emotional abuse by a priest I considered my spiritual director has given me a small glimpse of what's asked of y'all and how absolutely
destructive an evil man entrusted with formation could be. Enough that it's crossed my mind to be terrified for my son and daughters should they experience a call to religious life. I feel like should they experience that call, there's several very frank conversations we're going to have to have.
I'm so thankful you're doing what you're doing. They say sunlight is the best disinfectant, and the light you're helping to shine on this is so desperately needed.
I agree, this mission of confronting abuse head on and in the Light is the linchpin on which the direction of the Church rests. It's not melodramatic; it's the truth. If we as Church are to heal, we must first grapple with what has happened.
There is something else that is really powerful about your work that needs to be acknowledged. The vast majority of people that I see confronting this darkness from within the church are WOMEN. Women continue to keep me Catholic, to point me towards Jesus, and to remind me that WE as members od the Body of Christ ARE the Church. We who follow The Way, The Truth, and The Life are Christ's hands and feet, even when the institution as we know it is rotting from the inside out. The Church as an Earthly institution has done great harm to many people. I'm following y'all following Christ to the fringes.
Thank you Emily for sharing what is obviously a traumatic wound in your life. While I don't know the ages of your children, I would think that whatever path their vocation is you'll likely have that sensitive conversation. May God guide and heal you when you do speak with your children.
Thank you for speaking out about the abuse that you both experienced when in the convent. It helps others who have been abused by members of the Church to speak out too. I continue to speak out as well, and like you I have received negative feedback as well as even a threat by a priest who commented on one of my articles. I will continue to speak the truth, not for myself but for others to have the courage to speak out and to know they are not alone. Again, thank you for sharing your story. That means a lot to us who are survivors of abuse, especially abuse in the convent.
Until the powers that be decide to take effective measures to put a stop to it.
I cannot say enough how grateful I am for your mission, your courage, and your profound love. I have been struggling a lot with abuse within the church and the less than ideal response of church officials to such abuse. Reading your story has given me so much hope-that God and the Holy Spirit can indeed raise up heroes and saints even out of the darkest of circumstances and greatest of evils. I will be praying for you all. God bless you!
St. Therese knew trauma and how it could affect someone by keeping them rightly sensitive and vulnerable. She's the perfect patroness.
Thank you for voice you provide to those who've been silenced.
Thank you sisters.
I'm inspired by your example - the dual examples of the courage to reveal dark and painful aspects of the life of the Church, and the courage to remain open to Christ and not be swayed in your call(s). The call for healing and reform lands most powerfully in my ears when it comes from within. I look forward to learning from your ongoing work.
I do not claim to grasp the Little Flower's way of speaking about the faith--I may be one of those who find her off-putting. But I do appreciate her example of tenacity, and yours. May God guide you right and richly reward you. Thank you for your prayers, your honesty, and your work. I know many of us are listening and praying along.
God bless you all in your continued courage and fortitude, sisters. Pray for us, please, and be assured of our continued prayers for you.
This is beautifully written, Sisters. Thank you for being the faces of hope.
Thank you so, so much for your witness! Sisters, you are in my prayers and I am so grateful that you are allowing God to work through you in so many beautiful ways!
Thank you so much. This is an important mission. You’re in my prayers.
Thank you, Sisters.
Thank you all so much for your courage. You're in my prayers, and you give me hope for our Church <3
I just really want you to know, for your own sake, that your intuition is not broken by your wounds. If you are stabbed, it doesn't mean that you can't recognize a snake, it just means that you might be slow to respond to the threat. People need to STOP treating previous trauma the way they do and simply work to protect the vulnerable. My sisters in Christ, my heart is burning for you. You deserve to know that you're loved and treasured and that there are those who would lay down their lives to protect every hair on your head.
We agree, thank you for your comment Meg. God bless you.
Introspection and a critical view of our sins is necessary for a good confession. The same is true, I believe, to aid the Church in healing from and recovering from past sins in the Body of Christ that is the Church. It is painful to conduct my examination of conscience, and doing so on an institutional level is hard too.