Press Release

Voice from the Desert
March 28, 2012

http://reform-network.net/?p=15797

Hunger Strike for Justice by Clergy Abuse Survivor to Continue: Days 4, 5, and 6 of the Hunger Strike will be at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

A victim of clergy sexual abuse by a Jesuit priest began a Hunger Strike for Justice on March 25, 2012 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. It began there because the victim, although abused by a Jesuit priest, was badly treated by Cardinal O'Malley when she told him about Jesuit non-responsiveness. The Cardinal said the Archdiocese would not get involved because "the Jesuits are working it out with you". This was false. The victim was sexually assaulted on a study abroad program sponsored by the College of the Holy Cross in 1983. She tried to report it the same year, but the college did nothing about it. She made several other attempts to report it over the next ten years, but the abuser remained in ministry and teaching. In 2003, the Jesuit abuser was finally removed from ministry and teaching and banned from ministry and teaching forever. The abuser's family immediately began to harass the victim, because the Jesuits had provided her name. In 2006, the Jesuit abuser breached the ban on ministry; he was on the staff of a parish in Berlin, Germany. He also taught at Georgetown and Fordham. The victim learned this in 2009 after she googled the abuser's name. When she reported it to the Jesuits, she was again ignored by the Jesuits. The victim had to write to the pastor in Germany and to the two college presidents, and was told that the Jesuits never informed them of the abuser's background. In 2009 and 2010, the victim learned that the College of the Holy Cross and the New England province of Jesuits had breached the strict confidentiality and privacy she was promised. When this happened earlier, she complained, but the Jesuits continued to violate her privacy and confidentiality. The current president of the College of the Holy Cross, Rev. Philip Boroughs, SJ has 100% ignored all contact from the victim, who is an alum of the college. The previous president, Rev. Michael C. McFarland, SJ, who left in January 2012, was also 100% non-responsive to the victim's contacts about the confidentiality breaches. In the fall 2011, the victim decided she would not undertake another lengthy futile process with the Jesuits, which she had done many times over the previous 28 years. She realized a Hunger Strike for Justice would take days, not years. Over the next six months, while continuing to contact the Jesuits, she made plans to begin a Hunger Strike for Justice in March 2012 and to continue until justice is achieved. The victim is seeking apologies and reparations from the Jesuits and the Archdiocese of Boston. Essentially, she is seeking that they fund the medical advice she was given to recover from the repeated betrayals of trust. During the Hunger Strike for Justice, the victim is only consuming liquids, such as tea, milk and fruit juices. She is keeping detailed records of the amounts and types of liquids she is drinking, should anyone like to see this information. The Hunger Strike for Justice will take place at the College of the Holy Cross at noon on Wednesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 29, at Holy Cross in Worcester. On Friday, March 30, it will begin at 8:15 a.m. The victim said, "I know who I am dealing with. The Jesuits think they are morally superior and have superior intelligence, and they will not admit mistakes. I expect this Hunger Strike will last a very long time, more than twenty days. I am dedicated to continuing the Hunger Strike for Justice until the Jesuits admit their mistakes and make amends no matter how long it takes." Future dates for the Hunger Strike for Justice are planned at the Cathedral in Boston, the Jesuit headquarters in Watertown, MA, and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Contact:

Kevin O'Connor, 434-327-6543

Mark Lyman518-852-7295