Trip to Vatican Opens Doors for Clergy Abuse Documentary

PR Web
March 27, 2014

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/03/prweb11705891.htm

Boston, Massachusetts (PRWEB) March 27, 2014

Attempting to battle the cover-up, shame and silence of clergy sexual abuse, three survivors from Boston Massachusetts, travel to Rome reaching behind the secret walls of The Vatican. Their week long effort evolves into a decade long mission that exposes mind blowing statistics and unexpected global response.

The unlikely film producer of BASTA is Gary Bergeron, 51, a carpenter by trade, who lives in the greater Boston area. Gary and his brother came forward to their parents in 2002 about their abuse at the hands of a Boston priest. Gary consequently discovered his 77 year old father had also been abused by his priest. “Finding out that two generations of my family had lived with this painful secret was a pivotal moment. Now not only was I a victim of clergy sexual abuse, I was the brother and the son of clergy abuse victims. I decided to do whatever was necessary to insure I would never be the father of a clergy abuse victim. Regardless of the consequences, the Vatican was the next step.” said Bergeron

The documentary is punctuated by a graphic timeline of staggering statistics. The facts are delivered in a way that allows viewers to draw their own conclusions. The audience joins Bergeron, his father and fellow survivor Bernie McDaid, on their initial journey to Rome in a quest for answers and actions, from the Pope, to halt the continuing cover-ups and bring healing to survivors. BASTA documents these simple men’s emotional journey of commitment and determination, men seeking help, hope & aid in healing a nation impacted by the effects of the abuse crisis. A decade into his personal journey for justice, Bergeron learns that success isn’t always defined by achieving a goal, sometimes, it’s defined by the attempt itself, and in that attempt… you may also find out who you are.

The film’s live footage was not planned but made possible as the result of a news editor’s request to send a cameraman along on their trip to The Vatican. The raw footage was never used by the editor and sat in his closet for over 10 years. 2 years ago the editor offered it to Bergeron as a gift. When the package arrived; Bergeron started editing, hoping the film would be a vehicle for survivors to be heard. Bergeron expressed that he sees the international film festivals selection of BASTA as a realization of that hope. “The goal of BASTA was, and always will be, to raise public awareness, provoke action and healing for survivors. Above all, survivors should never give up, never lose Hope.”

“There are hundreds of thousands of survivors still reeling from the effects of clergy abuse, BASTA’S screenings in these festivals may help move society toward dialog, programs and policies that will prevent and protect current and future generations from the crippling effects of sexual abuse. This is a societal issue so incomprehensible that it seems nearly impossible for people to grasp, much less digest” says Bergeron.

The Vatican trips drew international press coverage and moved Bergeron into co-founding Survivors Voice U.S., an organization founded to help adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse which has grown into Survivors Voice Europe, who were recently called upon to give testimony to the United Nations in Geneva. Gary authored a book in 2005 titled “Don’t Call Me A Victim: Faith, Hope & Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church”.

BASTA was produced at the Lowell Telecommunications Corporation in Lowell, Massachusetts, a nonprofit subsidiary of Lowell Public Television.

Filmmaker Gary Bergeron is available for interviews.