Desiring to bring hope and healing to other victims, these men and women—survivors as well as their community of family and friends—come together to speak out about their abuse and betrayal by Catholic priests and leaders. These are only a few stories—but through these few are related the experiences of many victims. Contrary to conventional wisdom, these men and women are still active, practicing Catholics who love their faith. The abusers may have stolen their innocence, but through God’s grace, they weren’t able to steal their faith.
Included are chapters providing practical advice from Dr. Deborah Rodriguez, a medical doctor specializing in trauma care, Christopher West, an expert on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, and Elizabeth Terrill, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, to help victims begin or continue the process of healing, not only from sexual abuse, but also from the damage done to their faith.
Priests and Bishops of the Catholic Church have harmed many, but through this 2,000 year old institution, these victims found the healing they so desired and deserved. This book aims to unite victims and concerned members of the Catholic Church to fight against the evil of sexual abuse and coverup. The Catholic Church has a lot of work to do, but there are good, heroic people within its membership who desire to advocate for victims of sexual abuse and to change the structures that allowed this Abuse of Trust to occur.