Pope reveals nun abuse, but U.S. Catholic women say it has been happening for decades
ARLINGTON (VA)
USA TODAY
Feb. 7, 2019
By Lindsay Schnell
Pope Francis' acknowledgement aboard the papal plane this week that nuns have suffered sexual abuse by priests and even bishops -- including nuns in the U.S. -- caught many offguard with his frankness.
But it wasn't exactly new information, according to U.S. women leaders within the Catholic Church.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the largest association representing nuns in the U.S., said that while this problem is prevalent mostly in developing countries — there have been many cases in Africa, and last year a nun in India accused a priest of repeatedly raping her between 2014 and 2016 — it has gone on in the U.S., too.
The conference specifically referenced a 1996 study from St. Louis University that indicated, "there were sisters in the United States who had suffered some form of sexual trauma by Catholic priests. Often those sisters did not share this information even with their own communities."
Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability, a website that tracks abusive priests, was both underwhelmed and hopeful after hearing the pope’s comments.
USA TODAY
Feb. 7, 2019
By Lindsay Schnell
Pope Francis' acknowledgement aboard the papal plane this week that nuns have suffered sexual abuse by priests and even bishops -- including nuns in the U.S. -- caught many offguard with his frankness.
But it wasn't exactly new information, according to U.S. women leaders within the Catholic Church.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the largest association representing nuns in the U.S., said that while this problem is prevalent mostly in developing countries — there have been many cases in Africa, and last year a nun in India accused a priest of repeatedly raping her between 2014 and 2016 — it has gone on in the U.S., too.
The conference specifically referenced a 1996 study from St. Louis University that indicated, "there were sisters in the United States who had suffered some form of sexual trauma by Catholic priests. Often those sisters did not share this information even with their own communities."
Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability, a website that tracks abusive priests, was both underwhelmed and hopeful after hearing the pope’s comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment