BishopAccountability.org
	Clergy Abuse Victims Place Hope in Court Filing By Jenna Hiller KSAT September 14, 2011 http://www.ksat.com/news/29183206/detail.html Clergy abuse victims want an international court case against the pope. The Center for Constitutional Rights, along with the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate top Vatican officials for crimes against humanity. Local SNAP members are hoping the recent filing helps victims speak out. They spent Wednesday morning in front of San Fernando Cathedral trying to spread their message. "We want all whistle blowers, we want all sex abuse victims to come forward. This is their chance now to come out," Barbara Garcia Boehland said. Boehland said her son's abuse led him to suicide, and there are too many others going through the same thing. "It's very hard to live with this filth and shame and guilt, which is not really any of yours, but it's been done to you by ... somebody in authority like priests," she said. Diana Farias said she's being living with that shame since 1979, when she was abused at a local Catholic high school. She said the Archdiocese is ignoring her. It took Farias 20 years to speak out, and now she hopes she can help other abuse victims find their voice. "I've been through years and years of counseling to get to the point where I can speak up, and ... I did it first of all to protect children, and I'm doing it secondly to stand up for myself and speak the truth," Farias said. SNAP members said the recent filing I the ICC could finally urge the Vatican to act, and they're just doing their part to add volume to the voice of victims. The San Antonio archdiocese did not want to comment on the complaint in the International Criminal Court, because it focuses on high-level Vatican officials.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.