Matt C. Abbott
Nun abuse at hell's orphanage
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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

 

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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!)

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