How does the weight of abuse get displaced onto those who least deserve it?
In Episode Five of Descent Into Light, “The Displaced Weight of Abuse,” we follow Sr. Theresa Aletheia as she navigates depression, loneliness, and the crushing burden of responsibility that often falls on survivors when others fail to act. After the first abuse case at the Vatican was decided in a way that she believed left others vulnerable, Sr. Theresa Aletheia prepares for her final vows in Italy. Carrying both grief and hope, she faces a decision she never expected to make.
This episode explores:
How depression and loneliness emerge as part of the grief process for survivors
The dynamics of mimetic desire and the scapegoat mechanism and how they’re related to abuse
How practices like memento mori and grounded faith can provide clarity, resilience, and courage in the face of spiritual betrayal
Professor Luke Burgis explains the human patterns behind scapegoating that take place in most institutions and communities unless they are worked against intentionally.
Counselor Paul Fahey illuminates how abuse of power can operate subtly within spiritual settings.
This episode asks hard questions: Why does the burden so often fall on survivors, and how can communities take responsibility instead? It’s an invitation to reflect, to name what is happening, and to break cycles of silence.
Stay with us as Descent Into Light continues releasing a new episode each week—moving through grief with honesty, toward a hope rooted in Christ.
