IOWA
THonline
by MARY NEVANS-PEDERSON
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Victims of sexual abuse by Iowa Catholic priests and nuns gathered together with supporters Friday and Saturday to talk about the church's crisis and how it is being handled - or, as some said, mishandled.
The "Weekend of Hope and Understanding" in Iowa City is one of only a few such gatherings that have been held since the sex abuse crisis broke more than three years ago, according to the national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
"This is historic stuff - an independent, grass-roots coalition of lay groups addressing these issues," said David Clohessy, who said he repeatedly was abused by his local priest beginning when he was 12. The conference was sponsored by four eastern Iowa lay groups formed to deal with the sex abuse crisis by supporting victims and pushing for local church reform.
Clohessy described how he thinks the church, especially bishops who are on the front line of the crisis, should respond to ever-emerging claims of sexual abuse of children at the hands of clergy:
* Accused priests should fight fair and defend themselves, but not attack or intimidate their accusers;
* Bishops should release and permanently post the names of all credibly accused priests;
* Bishops should visit every parish in their diocese to encourage those who were abused to come forward ("lost sheep campaign");
* Lay and ordained Catholics should work to have the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits changed to allow for sexual abuse cases from long ago to be heard.