This priest sounds awful and did horrible things and should be punished and laicized and spit upon in the public square.
The CFRs are claiming to be helpless victims, but they did something wrong in allowing priests to work alone when the whole point is to go out two by two, they did many things wrong that allowed such a man to be a part of the order and they did many other things wrong that such assaults could happen on multiple occasions.
We live in a world of serpents. If you are bit by a snake, it will not help to say, "Wait a minute, this was wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m a victim here." Eve was tempted by Satan himself, but she still did something wrong.
The CFRs need to take responsibility for the decisions they made that led to the events. This "I did nothing wrong attitude. I am a victim" is a dangerous idea and untrue. We all have agency and when serpents strike we all should try to figure out what we did wrong.
Thank you to The Pillar for continuing to pay attention to the abuse of adults in our Church. I walk with many women who have experienced abuse as adults in recent years, and their stories are heartbreaking - both the abuse itself and the way the Church usually responds.
I know that many abuse survivors read the stories about their case, so in case this woman is listening, I want to say: I am so sorry for what happened to you. It is not your fault, and you are not alone. There are many in the Church that want to support you and stand with you. I am praying for you now - for both justice and healing.
If Dakota's Law would have passed, this dude would be in jail right now. But it continues to be the "ha! your word against mine, and I'm a priest and I will be believed and you will be shunned". Abusing his position to prey on women... what a freaking loser.
The article says, "At least 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia make it a crime for pastoral ministers to engage in sexual conduct with their spiritual directees or others who receive from them pastoral counseling."
This priest sounds awful and did horrible things and should be punished and laicized and spit upon in the public square.
The CFRs are claiming to be helpless victims, but they did something wrong in allowing priests to work alone when the whole point is to go out two by two, they did many things wrong that allowed such a man to be a part of the order and they did many other things wrong that such assaults could happen on multiple occasions.
We live in a world of serpents. If you are bit by a snake, it will not help to say, "Wait a minute, this was wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m a victim here." Eve was tempted by Satan himself, but she still did something wrong.
The CFRs need to take responsibility for the decisions they made that led to the events. This "I did nothing wrong attitude. I am a victim" is a dangerous idea and untrue. We all have agency and when serpents strike we all should try to figure out what we did wrong.
Good job Pillar exposing this.
Hard to understand why it appears to be taken so casually by church officials .
I do not take such stories casually!
Thank you to The Pillar for continuing to pay attention to the abuse of adults in our Church. I walk with many women who have experienced abuse as adults in recent years, and their stories are heartbreaking - both the abuse itself and the way the Church usually responds.
I know that many abuse survivors read the stories about their case, so in case this woman is listening, I want to say: I am so sorry for what happened to you. It is not your fault, and you are not alone. There are many in the Church that want to support you and stand with you. I am praying for you now - for both justice and healing.
If Dakota's Law would have passed, this dude would be in jail right now. But it continues to be the "ha! your word against mine, and I'm a priest and I will be believed and you will be shunned". Abusing his position to prey on women... what a freaking loser.
The article says, "At least 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia make it a crime for pastoral ministers to engage in sexual conduct with their spiritual directees or others who receive from them pastoral counseling."
Does anyone know which states those are?