American Nuns Refuse to Speak to Sexual Abuse Victims; Annual Meeting of Nuns This Week Excludes Discussion of Nun Sexual Abuse; NYC Rally to Pray for Nuns Doesn’t Include Victims of Sexual Abuse

Voice from the Desert
August 5, 2012

http://reform-network.net/

Road to Recovery, Inc.

P.O. Box 279

Livingston, NJ 07039

862-368-2800

MEDIA RELEASE

American nuns refuse to speak to sexual abuse victims

Annual meeting of nuns in Saint Louis excludes discussion of nun sexual abuse

New York rally to pray for nuns does not include victims of sexual abuse

What: A demonstration and leafleting outside a Greenwich Village Church where Catholics will rally in support of the annual meeting of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious convention in Saint Louis, MO, later this week.

The demonstration will call on Catholics to support victims of nun and clerical sexual abuse and not religious orders of nuns that do not give victims of sexual abuse a fair hearing at their convention or when abuse allegations are reported.

Where: On the sidewalk outside St. John in the Village Church, 224 Waverly Place at West 11th Street, NY, NY 10014.

When: Sunday, August 5, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Who: Victims of clerical sexual abuse, including members of Road to Recovery, Inc., a New Jersey-based non-profit organization that assists victims of sexual abuse.

Why: The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, representing the largest number of American religious women’s groups, will hold its annual convention in St. Louis, MO later this week. They have consistently refused to allow sexual abuse victims of nuns to speak to their group or even have a place at the “conversation table.” American nuns pride themselves on being “collaborative” and open to ideas, but they have been intransigent in not talking to or dealing with victims of sexual abuse by nuns and other religious persons. A group of Catholics will gather this evening to pray for and support the convention in St. Louis. Victims have requested that Catholics place VICTIMS first and all other causes next because the healing and recovery of victims and their treatment come first, and religious leaders, male and female, must open their doors, hearts, and resources to victims. Women religious, in general, have treated victims in a more hostile and unjust manner than other religious leaders, believe it or not.

Contacts: Robert M. Hoatson, Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800