Abuse in the Church Archives | Canadian Religious Conference

18 February

The silence

Multiple scandals erupted in the 2010s when it was discovered that Catholic priests had been abusing young boys in several francophone villages in New Brunswick. Cases dated as far back as the 1950s and involved as many as three generations of Acadians. Media coverage of the scandals was marked by outrage and dismay. Why had so many years passed before the affected communities at last dared to break their silence? How could secrecy have been preferable to justice and truth for so long?

18 December

Prevention of sexual abuse in the Church: A timeline of references

The following chronology documents a number of resources related to the prevention of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. These were produced at different times, by the Holy See and in North America especially.

Abuse in the Church on the big screen

There is a surprising number of feature-length films and documentaries on the theme of sexual abuse (and other forms of abuse) in the Church. The following productions are suggested because they are opportunities to raise awareness on the experiences of victims and to reflect on this painful Church reality. In this way, these films prove that media can play a necessary and relevant role in understanding and moving forward.

Collateral damages

The major crisis currently being experienced by the Catholic Church because of the various abuses committed by clergymen, men religious and women religious, is devastating for its credibility. The bearers of a message of truth cannot dissociate their behaviour from the testimony that their speech is intended to convey. First, attention and help must undoubtedly be directed towards the victims, whether they are minors or adults. Any reparation or redress, long before being addressed in a pecuniary sense, must start with the reception and listening provided in response to people’s experience and the common search for a way towards a possible healing.

Suffering in silence: the story of Tamar

Like a library of literary genres, the Bible also contains surprising texts, particularly in the Old Testament, in which violence sets the stage. How should we view these stories? Why were they included in the biblical canon (determined in 1546 at the Council of Trent, for the Roman Catholic Church)?

A bishop’s view

Remarks from the Most Rev. Marc Pelchat, Auxiliary Bishop of Quebec on the abuses committed within the Catholic Church. “Our Church has been plunged into a genuine crisis since we became aware of the scale of the sexual abuse of minors committed by priests, bishops and deacons, or other persons who had been given an ecclesial mission.”

A way of healing: Restorative Justice

he Centre for Services in Restorative Justice (CSJR), founded in 2001 in Montreal, is working to create spaces for expression, listening and sharing among people affected by criminal acts. […] Since the restorative justice approach is based on the liberating voice of the crime victim speaking out, that same approach applied to the context of sexual abuse in the Church must also begin with that kind of testimony.

Healing the Church: the diagnosis of a sister

Audio interview with Nuala Kenny, Sister of Charity of Halifax, is a pediatrician and professor emeritus. A member of the Canadian bishops’ committee that produced the world’s first guidelines on child sexual abuse, she does not hesitate to define the crisis as pathological. With theologian David Deane, Sr. Nuala Kenny analyzes the systemic ecclesial causes of abuse, and calls to healing by a reform of governance and spiritual renewal.

ad vitam – Fall 2019: “Abuse in the Church: Between Crisis and Hope”

The Canadian Religious Conference is proud to launch its new publication, ad vitam, a webzine and a window into consecrated life in Canada. Featuring articles and audio-visual media, ad vitam proposes theological and pastoral reflections on the Catholic Church and consecrated life. In this first issue, ad vitam dares to address the theme of sexual abuse in the Church.

11 December

Still Unhealed

The sexual abuse of children and youth by Catholic clergy is the greatest scandal of the modern church. It has caused devastating, life-long harm to victim-survivors and to the entire Body of Christ. This heartfelt book, rooted in faith, hope and love, is offered in support of all those clergy and laity working together to heal the Church, and in deep trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.