By Astrid Galvan
The Arizona Republic
March 26, 2009
http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2009/03/26/20090326gr-healingmassfolo0327.html?&wired
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| A woman kisses the hand of Diocese of Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, who officiated a special Mass for victims of clergy abuse on Wednesday in Gilbert. |
Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted prayed for the recovery of abuse victims as well as for the perpetrators themselves in a special Mass in Gilbert for victims of clergy abuse.
The Mass for Healing and Reconciliation was held at St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish on Wednesday. It coincided with the Annunciation of the Lord celebration, a Catholic tradition that celebrates the day an angel told the Virgin Mary she was with child.
The ceremony opened with a display by The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, and lasted about 90 minutes.
"Sexual abuse of young people and abuse of any kind makes us keenly aware of how much sinful acts undermine the common good," Olmsted said. "Healing of mind, heart and soul may take a very long time to happen."
He later thanked Office of Child and Youth Protection director Jean SoKol , who was responsible for the special masses. This was the fifth healing mass since the diocese began them in Chandler in March 2006.
The masses are held at churches that have experienced various kinds of abuse or churches that serve a large geographic area.
At St. Anne, the spiritual home to 3,100 registered families, a 2002 fraud shook the Spanish-speaking membership.
The diocese released Father Julio Higuera in April 2002 after an immigration paralegal he had recommended turned out to be fraud.
Over six months, Higuera referred as many as 100 parishioners to the paralegal for help in getting residency status for themselves or family members.
The man, who was not identified, made off with about $100,000 and fled town. He remains a fugitive.
A week after his release, parishioners protested Higuera's removal and said he made an honest mistake.
Higuera was also a victim of the scheme, they said.
Diocese spokesman Jim Dwyer said Higuera was removed from ministry and is not allowed to perform Catholic sacraments but that he is involved with another church in Chandler.
After mass Wednesday, Olmsted greeted every attendee and posed for pictures. Guests were then invited to a reception that included punch and cookies.
He said he was moved by the number of people who showed up.
"It gives me lots of hope to see so many people coming," he said.
He also hopes victims feel comfortable to come forward if they haven't already, he added.
For Leticia Juarez, a three-year member of St. Anne who lives in Mesa, the mass was a way for her to pray for abuse victims.
It was also an opportunity attend mass celebrated by the Bishop, an honor for Catholics.
Her mother, Amparo Rios, was intrigued by the idea of a reconciliation mass.
She said she enjoyed praying for victims and their families, and even though she is not related to any victims of clergy abuse, she feels their pain "like brothers and sisters from one church."
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