This is simply one of the finest documentaries I have ever encountered. Thank you, Sisters, for the sacrifice of your vocation. While I have not personally experienced abuse, I have had two pastors in my life who abused children in their parish, a reality that deeply rocked my faith. Listening to this was a step toward healing my wounds, which are joined to the endless, silent ripples of pain that have emanated from countless acts of darkness. May you continue to shine Christ's light in a Church that so desperately needs it.
Just to echo the many who are thanking you for your hard work in producing this series. I am so grateful I found it and it has been a source of a whole new awareness of these realities. Several times I teared up by the goodness and beauty that shoots through it all. Your experience is a powerful confirmation of Romans 8:28. Please keep up your awesome work and stay close to Little Thérèse, I know she is so pleased with how you are living her path in the Church. Know of my continued prayers for you and your mission. I offered mass this morning for your intentions.
Thank you so much for your comment Father and for listening all the way through. We are grateful. And we are deeply grateful to you for saying Mass for us.
Unfortunately as the church and its systems are geared up to utterly destroy anyone daring to speak up truth about abuse, change is completely impossible and these brave, lone individuals will continue to be attacked, silenced, forced out of the church and annihilated, along with anything or anyone good or of value in their lives. There simply is not any help or support for the good, innocent and vulnerable victims, God's precious, weak, little ones, and they are just so handy for the church to lie about, abuse much more and use as scapegoats. Woe to all the abusers, enablers and silent bystanders. God sees all and they will receive what is their deserved condemnation, eternally if they do not change. Such agony in this mission and so little fruit to show for it. The task is too much and the abuse problem in the church too massive, extensive, ingrained, ignored and denied. Why are so many so blind (though the general public outside of the church clearly are aware of what goes on) and why won't God help those completely crushed under the huge burden of church and clerical abuses. PS. I am now adding here as just went on to finish the rest of the this podcast and was amazed that your final prayer echoes what I had just written! Maybe there is hope yet. I may re-post my earlier comments in due course, that I'd had to remove from previous podcasts because the abuse issue here in England is just so extensive and the backlash and retaliations for daring to speak truth beyond anything of one's worse nightmares. But it is just so important that the world knows the truth of the extent of the corruption and evil in the multiple dioceses, CSSA, RLSS, "Safespaces" and the religious cult like orders which are the very worst, ie the entire culpable, abusive community of the franciscan friars of the renewal, their "associates" and other communities like the Jesuits, Community of St John, Ampleforth monks, and many others. It is very frightening how massive the scale of the problem is. We give it to God as the cost is too great for the good, truth speakers here blamed, silenced, defamed, banned, attacked, assaulted, wrongly condemned or jailed, falsely accused, caluminated etc and forced out of Christ's church by the evil wolves, corrupt leaders, authorities, unhinged "safeguarders" and nest of vipers within. Society in general in England is being destroyed by infiltrated woke values, not just The Church, which is very sad to experience for what is meant to be Our Lady's Dowry.
Marian, thank you for listening all the way through. We have appreciated your comments and will continue to keep you in prayer. We are so sorry for what you’ve experienced. If you’d like a copy of the prayer at the end of the podcast, it’s on our holy hour download on the Prayer tab of our website. God bless you.
Paul, maybe we could set something up for victims in this country if you are also England based? It is so disgusting how the entire huge system across the board comes immediately against single, innocent victims (whom they appear to see more as a threat to the already tattered reputation of the systems that they would wish to try to hide), to ostracise them, practically excommunicate them by banning them from the sacraments, Catholic events and churches, and continue to abuse them on an ongoing basis. They use such massive, united, violent, aggressive and unrelenting force to seriously assault (including physically), silence and crush victims and other truth-tellers totally, in every way they can, for simply daring to speak truth in hope of healing and a more Christ like church, free of such an abuse culture and crisis as exists currently. All those ganging up to harm victims or enjoying jumping on the band wagon against them are equally wicked and culpable. There is so much for the world to be made aware of and I can't wait until there is freedom for all the individual stories (a little of which I'd already shared with you) and all the so far hidden, shocking details to be widely known publicly. You are also right that for lay Catholics the isolation, lack of support and difficulties are the greatest. These hurdles are not necessarily overcome, nor is attempting hope alone able to sustain victims.
Paul and Marian, we’d appreciate it if you brought your conversation off line at this point. We’re unable to keep up with monitoring long conversations in our comments. Thank you.
I messaged Paul privately via Substack, but he doesn't seem to get them hence I replied to his comments to me here. I am not sure who he is, or how else to reply to his comments to me , or if he is perhaps MACCAS Paul? I didn't say I agreed with or supported all he said. But I don't now feel welcome after such harsh and unfair public comment (perhaps likewise you could have taken it offline as you yourself suggest) and rather misjudged. Its seems affirming of the abusers. It will be interesting to see if others being as vulnerable will be treated the same. Goodluck and goodbye.
Also, I guess I want to add that when church representatives use language that casts doubt onto the reports of harm that are brought to them, that is part of bigger, systemic problems with the way that everyone in the church is affected by male-centered, clerical-centered social conditioning. By and large, statistically, there is no reason to doubt a person of lesser power reporting harm by any type of superior. The person reporting has absolutely no advantage and gains nothing. They are on the losing end of a power imbalance. Period. Go ahead and prove me wrong. These are not “misunderstandings”. People who hold positions of power over others, often priests, know that they will be advantaged because of that power and are motivated to abuse by a lack of consequences and strong support for beliefs in their entitlement and privilege that comes from our conditioning (for example, priests get the benefit of social conditioning that privileges them as males/”leaders” and clerics/“God’s chosen”) . So I strongly, strongly suggest the verbage and excuses made for protecting forms of entitlement and privilege within the church be a source of reflection for conversion.
One thing I find confusing and frustrating is the lack of discussion and understanding about psychological abuse and spiritual abuse. Very often the issues discussed re: abuse revolve around sexual abuse, as if that is the only true form of abuse. I experienced something more akin to bullying and psychological manipulation in my parish. It was extremely distressing and I suffered bouts of depression, crying spells, anxiety attacks, feeling weak and sick. I had been so manipulated that I just thought I was the problem. Through counseling I gained insight into tactics that were being used by my pastor and others which involved using spirituality/spiritual authority and distortions of teaching to control, shame, victim blame, punish etc. The suffering I experienced was very intense. In this episode one of the experts talked about priests being afraid of “misunderstandings” being used to level charges of abuse at them. This upset me because that is exactly what my parish pastor claimed. He denied wrongdoing, he claimed it was “just his personality”, he insinuated I had mental problems and “needed healing”. In reality, I needed healing from what he had done. He was not owning up to tactics of psychological abuse that he used in his role as a spiritual authority in my life and not acknowledging the harms that abuse caused. He essentially blamed me even though it was his actions in his role of authority, his power, that was used against me. This kind of abuse cannot be minimized and ignored the way that it often is. It is so deeply damaging.
Thank you for the work you have done. This was an excellent podcast and this final episode was really eye-opening when it comes to the lack of protection for vulnerable adults in the context of the power differential of spiritual settings and pastoral care. You have invited me to return to aspects of my story as well as reflect on how to consider "safeguarding" from a much broader perspective. This is going to continue to influence my ministry of spiritual direction as I deepen the reflection on the importance of personal freedom and dignity.
This is simply one of the finest documentaries I have ever encountered. Thank you, Sisters, for the sacrifice of your vocation. While I have not personally experienced abuse, I have had two pastors in my life who abused children in their parish, a reality that deeply rocked my faith. Listening to this was a step toward healing my wounds, which are joined to the endless, silent ripples of pain that have emanated from countless acts of darkness. May you continue to shine Christ's light in a Church that so desperately needs it.
Thank you so much for listening Christa. We’re so glad it was helpful to you.
Just to echo the many who are thanking you for your hard work in producing this series. I am so grateful I found it and it has been a source of a whole new awareness of these realities. Several times I teared up by the goodness and beauty that shoots through it all. Your experience is a powerful confirmation of Romans 8:28. Please keep up your awesome work and stay close to Little Thérèse, I know she is so pleased with how you are living her path in the Church. Know of my continued prayers for you and your mission. I offered mass this morning for your intentions.
Thank you so much for your comment Father and for listening all the way through. We are grateful. And we are deeply grateful to you for saying Mass for us.
Unfortunately as the church and its systems are geared up to utterly destroy anyone daring to speak up truth about abuse, change is completely impossible and these brave, lone individuals will continue to be attacked, silenced, forced out of the church and annihilated, along with anything or anyone good or of value in their lives. There simply is not any help or support for the good, innocent and vulnerable victims, God's precious, weak, little ones, and they are just so handy for the church to lie about, abuse much more and use as scapegoats. Woe to all the abusers, enablers and silent bystanders. God sees all and they will receive what is their deserved condemnation, eternally if they do not change. Such agony in this mission and so little fruit to show for it. The task is too much and the abuse problem in the church too massive, extensive, ingrained, ignored and denied. Why are so many so blind (though the general public outside of the church clearly are aware of what goes on) and why won't God help those completely crushed under the huge burden of church and clerical abuses. PS. I am now adding here as just went on to finish the rest of the this podcast and was amazed that your final prayer echoes what I had just written! Maybe there is hope yet. I may re-post my earlier comments in due course, that I'd had to remove from previous podcasts because the abuse issue here in England is just so extensive and the backlash and retaliations for daring to speak truth beyond anything of one's worse nightmares. But it is just so important that the world knows the truth of the extent of the corruption and evil in the multiple dioceses, CSSA, RLSS, "Safespaces" and the religious cult like orders which are the very worst, ie the entire culpable, abusive community of the franciscan friars of the renewal, their "associates" and other communities like the Jesuits, Community of St John, Ampleforth monks, and many others. It is very frightening how massive the scale of the problem is. We give it to God as the cost is too great for the good, truth speakers here blamed, silenced, defamed, banned, attacked, assaulted, wrongly condemned or jailed, falsely accused, caluminated etc and forced out of Christ's church by the evil wolves, corrupt leaders, authorities, unhinged "safeguarders" and nest of vipers within. Society in general in England is being destroyed by infiltrated woke values, not just The Church, which is very sad to experience for what is meant to be Our Lady's Dowry.
Marian, thank you for listening all the way through. We have appreciated your comments and will continue to keep you in prayer. We are so sorry for what you’ve experienced. If you’d like a copy of the prayer at the end of the podcast, it’s on our holy hour download on the Prayer tab of our website. God bless you.
Paul, maybe we could set something up for victims in this country if you are also England based? It is so disgusting how the entire huge system across the board comes immediately against single, innocent victims (whom they appear to see more as a threat to the already tattered reputation of the systems that they would wish to try to hide), to ostracise them, practically excommunicate them by banning them from the sacraments, Catholic events and churches, and continue to abuse them on an ongoing basis. They use such massive, united, violent, aggressive and unrelenting force to seriously assault (including physically), silence and crush victims and other truth-tellers totally, in every way they can, for simply daring to speak truth in hope of healing and a more Christ like church, free of such an abuse culture and crisis as exists currently. All those ganging up to harm victims or enjoying jumping on the band wagon against them are equally wicked and culpable. There is so much for the world to be made aware of and I can't wait until there is freedom for all the individual stories (a little of which I'd already shared with you) and all the so far hidden, shocking details to be widely known publicly. You are also right that for lay Catholics the isolation, lack of support and difficulties are the greatest. These hurdles are not necessarily overcome, nor is attempting hope alone able to sustain victims.
Paul and Marian, we’d appreciate it if you brought your conversation off line at this point. We’re unable to keep up with monitoring long conversations in our comments. Thank you.
I messaged Paul privately via Substack, but he doesn't seem to get them hence I replied to his comments to me here. I am not sure who he is, or how else to reply to his comments to me , or if he is perhaps MACCAS Paul? I didn't say I agreed with or supported all he said. But I don't now feel welcome after such harsh and unfair public comment (perhaps likewise you could have taken it offline as you yourself suggest) and rather misjudged. Its seems affirming of the abusers. It will be interesting to see if others being as vulnerable will be treated the same. Goodluck and goodbye.
The ending. Can you place on document to share?
Gina, the ending prayer is on our holy hour download, which you can find on the prayer tab of our website.
Also, I guess I want to add that when church representatives use language that casts doubt onto the reports of harm that are brought to them, that is part of bigger, systemic problems with the way that everyone in the church is affected by male-centered, clerical-centered social conditioning. By and large, statistically, there is no reason to doubt a person of lesser power reporting harm by any type of superior. The person reporting has absolutely no advantage and gains nothing. They are on the losing end of a power imbalance. Period. Go ahead and prove me wrong. These are not “misunderstandings”. People who hold positions of power over others, often priests, know that they will be advantaged because of that power and are motivated to abuse by a lack of consequences and strong support for beliefs in their entitlement and privilege that comes from our conditioning (for example, priests get the benefit of social conditioning that privileges them as males/”leaders” and clerics/“God’s chosen”) . So I strongly, strongly suggest the verbage and excuses made for protecting forms of entitlement and privilege within the church be a source of reflection for conversion.
I’m not Catholic. But every tradition / denomination needs you. Church abuse happens everywhere. I’ve worked with victims and it is devastating.
One thing I find confusing and frustrating is the lack of discussion and understanding about psychological abuse and spiritual abuse. Very often the issues discussed re: abuse revolve around sexual abuse, as if that is the only true form of abuse. I experienced something more akin to bullying and psychological manipulation in my parish. It was extremely distressing and I suffered bouts of depression, crying spells, anxiety attacks, feeling weak and sick. I had been so manipulated that I just thought I was the problem. Through counseling I gained insight into tactics that were being used by my pastor and others which involved using spirituality/spiritual authority and distortions of teaching to control, shame, victim blame, punish etc. The suffering I experienced was very intense. In this episode one of the experts talked about priests being afraid of “misunderstandings” being used to level charges of abuse at them. This upset me because that is exactly what my parish pastor claimed. He denied wrongdoing, he claimed it was “just his personality”, he insinuated I had mental problems and “needed healing”. In reality, I needed healing from what he had done. He was not owning up to tactics of psychological abuse that he used in his role as a spiritual authority in my life and not acknowledging the harms that abuse caused. He essentially blamed me even though it was his actions in his role of authority, his power, that was used against me. This kind of abuse cannot be minimized and ignored the way that it often is. It is so deeply damaging.
Thank you !
Thank you for the work you have done. This was an excellent podcast and this final episode was really eye-opening when it comes to the lack of protection for vulnerable adults in the context of the power differential of spiritual settings and pastoral care. You have invited me to return to aspects of my story as well as reflect on how to consider "safeguarding" from a much broader perspective. This is going to continue to influence my ministry of spiritual direction as I deepen the reflection on the importance of personal freedom and dignity.