Matt C. Abbott
Nun abuse at hell's orphanage
FacebookTwitter
By Matt C. Abbott
August 14, 2010

Although I'm a staunch, orthodox Catholic, I still consider myself an advocate for clergy/religious abuse survivors, for which I make no apologies. I was able to attend the opening session of the 2010 Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) conference. It was a somber experience, and it made me realize how difficult it would be if I had ever been abused by a priest or nun — and no, I'm not talking about getting hit on the wrist with a ruler — to remain a practicing Catholic.

I love the Church and will, with God's grace, remain faithful to her teachings until the day I die. But I do have great sympathy for the survivors, even if they've abandoned the Church as a result of what they experienced. (Of course, I don't have sympathy for those who bash the Church simply because they want to continue living an immoral lifestyle, be it heterosexual or homosexual.)

We've read, and heard, a lot about clergy abuse in recent times, but not so much about abuse by religious. Yet such abuse has happened to a number of people over the last several decades, and it shouldn't be overlooked.

Below is the full legal complaint against the Diocese of Sioux Falls, the Tekakwitha Orphanage for Native Americans, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the Sisters of the Divine Savior. In the lawsuit — you can read a recent newspaper story about it here — several religious, in addition to the priests, are accused of sexual, physical and mental abuse against the plaintiffs. The allegations are sickening, and, due to the frank descriptions of the alleged abuse, reader discretion is advised.

Pray for those who have suffered physical, sexual or mental abuse during the course of their lives.




Related link:

"A Crisis of Saints"

© Matt C. Abbott

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

Click to enlarge

Matt C. Abbott

Matt C. Abbott is a Catholic commentator with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, media and theatre from Northeastern Illinois University. He also has an Associate in Applied Science degree in business management from Triton College. Abbott has been interviewed on HLN, MSNBC, Bill Martinez Live, WOSU Radio in Ohio, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's 2019 ‘Unsolved’ podcast about the unsolved murder of Father Alfred Kunz, Alex Shuman's 'Smoke Screen: Fake Priest' podcast, WLS-TV (ABC) in Chicago, WMTV (NBC) and WISC-TV (CBS) in Madison, Wisconsin. He’s been quoted in The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and other media outlets. He’s mentioned in the 2020 Report on the Holy See's Institutional Knowledge and Decision-Making Related to Former Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick (1930 to 2017), which can be found on the Vatican's website. He can be reached at mattcabbott@gmail.com.



(Note: I welcome and appreciate thoughtful feedback. Insults will be ignored. Only in very select cases will I honor a request to have a telephone conversation about a topic in my column. Email is much preferred. God bless you and please keep me in your prayers!)

Subscribe

Receive future articles by Matt C. Abbott: Click here

More by this author

 

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
Flashback: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Pete Riehm
Like our Commander-in-Chief, America is clueless, feckless, and powerless

Selwyn Duke
Did anti-white, DEI bias steal a state final spot from a white basketball team?

James Lambert
It’s time to get a Republican (like Steve Garvey) elected to the U.S. Senate in CA. It’s been 30 years!

Linda Goudsmit
Chapter 10: Objective reality is required for a free society

Michael Bresciani
Gay is OK, but trans for kids is on the skids – Have Americans now become judges of evil thoughts?

Linda Kimball
Nihilism…all that exists is matter and energy: The worldview that caused the collapse of Christendom and Protestant Amer

Peter Lemiska
China doesn’t need a Trojan Horse – It has Joe Biden

Rev. Mark H. Creech
Revelation Chapter 22: Getting beyond doubt, Billy Graham’s example

Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
2024 International Gift of Life Walk – NYC

Cliff Kincaid
Biden’s bloody revolution for America

Victor Sharpe
Senator Schumer enters the annals of Shame

Linda Kimball
Prayer against evil, insane Babylon
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites