BishopAccountability.org
	Moving Scenes at Prayer Service for Sex Abuse Victims Western People [Ireland] April 19, 2006 http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story.asp?j=30493 The special prayer service of Atonement and Healing for the effects of sexual abuse, and other forms of abuse, within the Catholic Church was held in the parish church in Castlebar on Palm Sunday last. The ceremony was very moving yet difficult for many people to hear how far reaching the effects of abuse has on survivors of the abuse. The introduction to the Service referred to the need for the Church to pay heed to "abuse caused by lay members of the Church as well as to those abused by clergy or religious". It also said, "A great and terrible wrong has been committed by some people who are members of our community of Faith, against innocent and blameless people of all ages. Sexual abuse, and indeed other abuse, is a grave breach of trust, a serious crime and an outrage. We, the community, need to acknowledge the wrongdoing, and we must unwaveringly place our primary focus, care and concern on the survivors of this abuse". It went on to say "We need to start listening even more carefully to those who have been abused, we have a lot to learn and who better to teach us than those who continue on the journey to healing." The service referred to various emotions people feel around abuse including sadness, anger, hope and peace. Sadness, was said to be around such issues as the fact that it "… took us so long to cop on to what was happening and start to address it earnestly, sad that it still continues, sad that we feel so helpless in this so much of the time."It was suggested that "anger" may be directed towards the media although they were telling the shameful truth of abuse or indeed that perhaps people were "… just plain angry that somebody had opened the carefully locked door and let the sins of the past, and indeed the present, come tumbling out". A significant emphasis was placed on a sense of hopefulness too, "Hopeful that significant change is happening, hopeful even that we have prayer services like this within our churches, hopeful that better child protection is in place and will minimise the risks to children. Hopeful that survivors of abuse will find peace in their lives and that somehow our support and desire to understand better may help a little". During the service people from the community led prayers of intercession representing various groups or individuals, including representing a father or relative who may have abused, a priest or religious who broke the sacred trust of their Ministry or others in the community who abused or had failed to protect the innocent. Lighted candles were used also as a symbol of God's healing light "… dispelling the darkness …" and pointed towards the path of truth. The various emotions that people hold around abuse were also symbolically represented by placing different coloured ribbons on a real tree within the sanctuary. The ribbons of different colours captured emotions such as the anger that is a power in seeking justice and truth, the hopefulness of Easter and the peace that those who are abused seek. The tree was later planted in the church grounds to stand as a symbol of the service and a reminder of the commitment of the congregation to provide care and support for those who were abused. Several callers to the organisers the next day suggested that all parishes should have similar services and the organisers have undertaken to assist any parish that might like to do this with the material that they used during the Castlebar service.
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