Church actions hollow
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Re “Etching abuse in church’s memory,” Column One, Dec. 1
When reading about the four or five memorials to the Catholic Church’s ongoing clergy sex-abuse crisis, I was reminded of the old adage: “Actions speak louder than words.”
Here in L.A., victims weren’t consulted when Cardinal Roger Mahony was contemplating a chapel in tribute to abuse victims. Victims weren’t notified or invited when the chapel was opened. And we weren’t asked or notified when the chapel was rededicated to another purpose.
It reminds me of another Mahony action pattern: when victims, parents and Catholics aren’t notified when dangerous men are purposely put in their neighborhoods, schools or parishes.
Mahony loves to talk about healing. But his talk rings hollow when his unilateral, self-serving actions exacerbate wounds instead of relieving them.
Joelle Casteix
Newport Beach
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The writer is Southwest Regional Director of SNAP,
the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
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