The recent news detailing the extensive and sometimes brutal sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests in the United States has left us at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious sickened and ashamed of the church we love, trusted, and have committed our lives to serve. We weep and grieve with all who over the decades have been victimized by sexual predators within the faith community and feel their pain as our own. We recognize that the damage done to many is irreparable.
Sexual abuse is a horrific crime, and the horror is so much worse when committed by persons in whom society has placed its trust and confidence. Equally difficult to comprehend is the culture within the church hierarchy that tolerated the abuse, left children and vulnerable adults subject to further abuse, and created practices that covered up the crimes and protected the abusers.
We call upon the church leadership to implement plans immediately to support more fully the healing of all victims of clergy abuse, hold abusers accountable, and work to uncover and address the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis. We believe that the work to implement the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and its subsequent revisions has been an important and effective step in addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. We have watched the Conference of Major Superiors of Men diligently work to assure the protection and safety of children and youth and applaud its efforts. However, it is clear that more serious action needs to be taken to assure that the culture of secrecy and cover-up ends.
We also call upon church leaders to attend to the severe erosion of the church’s moral standing in the world. Its members are angry, confused, and struggling to find ways to make sense of the church’s failings. The church leadership needs to speak with honesty and humility about how this intolerable culture developed and how that culture will now be deconstructed, and to create places where church members can express our anger and heartbreak. We call on the leaders to include competent members of the laity more fully in the work to eradicate abuse and change the culture, policies, and practices. We are committed to collaborate in the essential work of healing and transformation that our church so desperately needs.
Finally, we recognize that the vast majority of priests have not committed abuse and are suffering greatly because of the actions of some of their brothers. We offer them our prayer and support as they continue their ministries in these very challenging times and as they too struggle to understand the complexity of factors that led to this deplorable situation.
Contact: Sisters Annmarie Sanders, IHM| Director of Communications| Leadership Conference of Women Religious
asanders@lcwr.org| 301-588-4955
Thank you all for your words of truth and compassion.
What have you done about the abuse your Sisters committed within your community to the young women who entered?
Have you ever acknowledged it or punished the offenders in any way?
Hi Margaret. Since the late 1990s, the Dominican Sisters have had an abuse policy in place should any accusations occur. The policy also applies retroactively. The policy is very thorough and calls for an immediate removal of the sister from ministry and an investigation by a lay board to determine the validity of the case. Cooperation with law enforcement is also part of the policy. To date we have had no accusations.
That said, this news is devastating and against everything that we stand for as Catholics. We stand with victims and are committed to removing harmful individuals from ministry.
Do you respond to comments?
I’m shocked. You have no abuse policy in place. Even for for the children in your schools. I’m not surprised that you haven’t answered my email. More needs to be published about abuse at the hands of priests and nuns alike. Don’t ever pray for me. Pray for your own sick evil existence, then drown yourself in your regurgitation of lies.
Hi Elizabeth. We do have an abuse policy in place. What was leading you to believe otherwise?
The policy also applies retroactively (more on it below). If there is something that should be reported to us, please reach out: info@ophope.org. We take accusations seriously and are committed to partnering with law enforcement to remove harmful individuals from ministry.
Since the late 1990s, the Dominican Sisters have had an abuse policy in place should any accusations occur. The policy is very thorough and calls for an immediate removal of the sister from ministry and an investigation by a lay board to determine the validity of the case. Cooperation with law enforcement is also part of the policy. To date we have had no accusations.
That said, this news is devastating and against everything that we stand for as Catholics. We stand with victims and are committed to removing harmful individuals from ministry.
Amen to all you have said. So difficult to be a Chatholic today knowing that this has been going on.