I am a mental health counselor and have seen many abused children. I get a little disconcerted when I see so much attention put on priest abusers. That is only a small fraction of a much bigger problem. The child is hurt on so many levels. The majority of abusers in my experience are step-fathers, some grandparents, some uncles, some older brothers, boy scout leaders, bus drivers. One time in my career of 12 years as a counselor, one person told me they were abused by a priest. No matter who does it, it is a despicable evil act. In fact, there are no words in the English language that can adequately describe the horror it is for the abused child. The ones I find most heart-rending are when a step-father abuses a child, and the mother abandons the child so she can be with the step-father. I disagree with those who who say the priests should be held to a higher standard. That is to ignore the problem. The problem is that millions of children are being abused daily whether it is through human trafficking or relatives or trusted friends of the family who are the abusers. We need to hold everyone to the same high standard. To do otherwise, is to ignore the millions of children being abused daily.
I would like to invite and challenge newspapers and media across the country to really look into the abuse of children and see what we as a people can do to stop it. To focus on one group of abusers, while ignoring the rest, does little to solve this horrendous evil.
Image via WikipediaI haven't written in so long. Last night Neumann University gave the Sisters a treat. They served us a dinner with lot of choices and provided entertainment. The entertainment was Mark Rust. He was a one man band with a beautiful voice. He sang Irish Songs. He played the banjo, fiddle, and guitar. Of course, we had some sing-alongs, also. It was a great night out and many thanks to the Neumann students who organized it and served us.
