Open Letter to Victims/Survivors of Priests’ Sexual Abuse:

                                                                                                                                      

 
This letter is written to convey our unconditional support of you and your families. 

We express our deep remorse for the mental and physical violation you have suffered.  We know that words cannot erase the injury and insult to your human dignity.  We are outraged at the betrayal by those who lead the Church and especially those designated to care for our young.  We are filled with shame at the lack of the hierarchy’s pastoral response to the offenses against you.
 

We proclaim proudly that ‘we are Church’.  So, please accept our apology on behalf of our Church. We dedicate ourselves to the task of seeing that this abuse will not happen again.  Such abuses of power cannot be tolerated in our Church.

We apologize that our silence has increased your pain and suffering.  We know that whether innocent child, youth, or vulnerable adult, you were defenseless in the face of a powerful person and institution.  We attest that the abuse of the vulnerable by clergy and the cover-up by Church leadership are both immoral and illegal acts.

In the face of all these truths, we stand in solidarity with you.

Your brothers and sisters in the broken Christ,

 

 

 

________________________   _________________________    ________________________

Signature                               Name (printed)                           Parish

 

 

 

There are concerns there are more of you than known.  We want to support you on your road to healing.  Because our Church has been the place and occasion for your abuse, we know it may be difficult to approach us.  There are two outstanding survivors groups with the resources to help you begin or continue your journey.   They can help you.

 

 

The Linkup   773.774.7303                          SNAP   312.409.2720 

Survivors of Clergy Abuse                                  Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

E-mail: linkupchgo@dls.net                               E-mail: SNAPBlaine@hotmail.com 

P.O. Box 429, Pewee Valley, KY 40056             PO Box 6416, Chicago, IL 60680-6416

Website:  www.thelinkup.org/                         Website:  www.survivorsnetwork.org/

 

 

To promote healing in our Church, our goal is to publish this letter in a major Chicago newspaper or media outlet.  We welcome cash or checks as a contribution to that effort.

 

Coalition of Concerned Catholics   145 West Brentwood Drive   Palatine, IL   60074

                     847.699.1791      www.catholiccoalition.org/

 

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Concerned Catholics,

 

Just as Lent was beginning, every parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago received an envelope from the Coalition of Concerned Catholics.  The envelope contained duplicate cover letters, one addressed to the Social Justice/Human Concerns Minister and the other to the Pastor.  Also included was information and forms announcing an archdiocesan opportunity for the laity of every parish to participate in a small, but important, way in the healing of victims/survivors and of our Church.  The above Open Letter is the heart of this campaign; an apology and an expression of sorrow to all victims/survivors of clerical sexual abuse.

 

Attached is a copy of the cover letter, the Open Letter to Victims/Survivors of Priest Sexual Abuse and the Suggestions For Success for parishes.

 

We need your help for this campaign to be successful.  Here is what you can do.

1.  Have all your friends and families sign this Open Letter in solidarity with the victims/survivors.

2.  Ask the Social Justice/Human Concerns Minister or the pastor how the Open Letter campaign is being handled at your parish.  Volunteer to help.

3.  Over twenty Coalition people are conducting follow up telephone calls to every parish to answer questions and offer assistance.  Ask if  they have received a call from the Coaliton.

4.  Forward this email to all your friends and family asking them to sign the Open Letter and speak with their pastor about the Open Letter Campaign in their parish.

5.  Contact Coalition participants with any questions or for assistance in your parish.

6.  Please donate whatever you can to help the Coalition publish the Open Letter in a major newspaper or media outlet.  As Justice Anne Burke was quoted, "There's an old axiom that justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done."

7.  Include the Open Letter campaign in your prayers.

 

Thank you for your support.

The Coalition of Concerned Catholics