ILLINOIS
Daily Southtown
Erin Gallagher
Daily Southtown
Protecting Roman Catholic children from sexual predators is a full-time job for this Chicago Heights native.
As the newly-appointed Archdiocese of Chicago’s director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth, Mary Jane Doerr has a candid, but optimistic view of the challenges she faces.
“We know we are working for the dark side of the church, but we are the ones shining light on it,” Doerr said.
Doerr, 62, oversees three offices within the archdiocese, including the Assistance Ministry Office, which provides support for victims of sexual abuse and their families. She encourages people who have been victims to come forward, because “it’s never too late,” she said.
“The archdiocese wants to hear their stories and support their health and wellness,” Doerr said. “That’s an important part of this ministry.”
Workers in the office have served more than 500 victims and their families and “they are very good at it,” she said. Taking the ministry in a new direction, they are helping victims rejoin the church, a process they call “helping them find a place in the pew.”
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