ILLINOIS
The Rockford River Times
By Melissa Wangall, staff writer
Editor’s note: This article contains sexually explicit material that may not be suitable for all readers. Reader discretion is advised.
All non-clergy members’ names have been changed due to the graphic nature of the alleged abuse and the age of the victim at the time of the alleged abuse.
“In children lies the world’s tomorrow,” reads a quote by Pope John Paul II published by Rockford’s St. Anthony’s of Padua Church in a historical overview.
The deceased pope’s words ring true—for better or worse, children are the future.
In June 2005, I met with Thomas White. As I walked up the stairs leading to the sunny main floor of his house, I wondered what to expect. It had been about 36 years since a priest had allegedly sexually abused this man. He wanted to share his story to encourage others abused by his alleged perpetrator to come forward, realize they are not alone, and seek help. I had been told tales of abuse before, but never by a stranger.
White is about 6 feet, nearing 50 years of age with a few extra pounds packed on. For our meeting, he was dressed very casually in black gym shorts, white T-shirt, and black baseball cap bearing a hunting logo. The hat hid a shaved head (removed of hair after an unsuccessful dye job). White wore wire-rim glasses, and his tired eyes were explained as he said he’d “been up since 2:30 in the morning with night terrors,” a common aftereffect of abuse as stated in an article titled “Child Sexual Abuse: Offenders, disclosure and school-based initiatives—statistical data included” by Jonathon Fieldman.