MINNESOTA
St. Cloud Times
Gerald C. Mertens, St. Cloud
March 22, 2017
I am sharing an open letter I have sent to Jeff Anderson, the attorney who has played an important role in the effort to find justice for victims of sexual molestation by Catholic priests. I feel there is a message in my letter to Jeff that is important for readers of the St. Cloud Times, as I fear justice will not take place without a public opinion shift to correct this injustice.
A strong message is for our church to help those we — the Church — hurt.
“Hi Jeff Anderson,
We have never met. I do NOT believe that you have received many (or possibly any) letters like this; I would be pleasantly surprised if I am incorrect.
I wish that many thinking Catholics would express their gratitude to you for being a “conscience” inspiring us Catholics to do the right thing. As I see it, most Catholics who become aware of the damage that Catholic priests caused via their child sexual molesting have become aware of the seriousness because of your work. This harm has been swept under the rug for far too long by poor Catholic leadership.
Beyond just making us Catholics aware, your work on priest molestation gives “thinking Catholics” a much deeper understanding of a problem we must continue to work on. The need exists for an active contrition with a firm purpose (and a plan) for amending the wrong inflicted. It is NOT okay to escape doing something about the molestation of children and women. In good faith (perhaps even a pun), the Catholic Church should show they are trying to end this sexual abuse of children and poor treatment of women.
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