By Sister Sally Butler OP

It is hard for many people to accept that women are also sexual abusers of children.  And it's probably harder for some to realize that there are Catholic sisters who commit such heinous crimes.  But we know of at least 1,000 cases recorded in this country which must be dealt with.

The most prominent organization of American nuns ,  the LCWR (Leadership Council of Women Religious) is in the spotlight right now because it is under investigation by the Vatican.   Although the LCWR enjoys strong support from American Catholics in this struggle, there is an embarrassing problem for the nuns on another front:  for over ten years, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) members have asked to speak to their general assembly at LCWR's annual conference. These are victims of childhood sexual abuse by nuns.  The survivors want to tell their stories and to offer preventive strategies to the religious orders.  But, since 2003, LCWR has refused to allow this.  No clear excuse is ever offered, beyond "This is not the venue. "

For details, I refer to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests:

"For at least eight years, victims of child-molesting nuns and members of SNAP have repeatedly urged America's largest organization of nuns to expose the truth about child sex crimes and cover ups by women religious. But the LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious) continues to essentially rebuff us and them.

Now more than ever, since they're being attacked by bishops like we have been (and are being), nuns should be sympathetic to our plight. It grieves us to have to keep prodding them to take long-overdue, simple steps to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded. But how can we do otherwise?"

Contact: Steve Thiesen, Iowa SNAP Director and SNAP Board Member

Selections from A SNAP chronology:

2002 - LCWR refuses to participate in USCCB’s “Policy for the Protection of Children”

August 24, 2002 - LCWR National Board issues statement on sexual abuse

June 12, 2004 - Nun survivors meet for the first time in Denver at SNAP Conferenc

July 13, 2004 - Hand-delivered to LCWR and USCCB from nun survivors regarding Plan of Hope, Respect, and Open Healing. Also requested nun survivors be allowed to speak at LCWR-CMSM Joint Assembly in Ft. Worth. To date, we received no answer from USCCB.

August 5, 2004 - Letter to LCWR from SNAP expressing dismay over their decision not to let us speak

August 9, 2004 - E-mail to National Review Board to intervene on our behalfAugust 13, 2004 - LCWR Press Release: Response of LCWR President Sister Constance Phelps, SCL saying we can’t speak in Ft. Worth

August 19 to 22, 2004 - Joint LCWR – CMSM Assembly in Ft. Worth, TX. Nun survivors attempt to attend event but are refused.

October 3, 2004 - Meeting with LCWR Leadership in Chicago

November 22, 2004 - LCWR letter to SNAP refusing to work with SNAP members who are survivors of sexual abuse committed by nuns and sisters

August 2, 2005 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Aneheim, CA; we are present – we delivered letter

August 17, 2006 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Atlanta, GA; we are present – we delivered letter

August 24, 2007 - LCWR contacts us to meet to talk but LCWR does not provide an agenda after numerous requests; Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Kansas City

September 19, 2007 - LCWR responds to SNAP, denying all five requests

August, 2008 - LCWR rebuffs us via letter; SNAP holds night-time vigil

October 9, 2008 - SNAP meets with Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious in St. Louis; requests are denied

February 23, 2009 - SNAP asks to speak at the LCWR conference in New Orleans

March 26, 2009 - LCWR denies all of SNAP's requests

August 11, 2009 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR Conference in New Orleans; we deliver letter

August 14, 2010 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR Conference in Dallas; we are present

August 16, 2011 - LCWR National Conference in Garden Grove.  We are present

It appears that the sisters are heeding the same legal advice that  American bishops have followed:  they continue to deliberately ignore the victims and their horrifying stories.  A pastoral approach offered with compassion, one expected of religious women, has been replaced by an arrogant dismissal.  People who have always admired sisters are confused and disappointed.

We can, however, always expect miracles!  Your support for the survivors can best be expressed by writing to LCWR's President, urging her to to re-visit the topic with love and compassion:

Sister Carol Zinn SSJ
LCWR
8808 Cameron Street
Silver Spring MD 20910

Let's hope that this is the year that the LCWR's leadership .....
(A) reaches out to their supporters with an honest explanation of their hostility to the victims and a declaration of a change of heart, moving forward, and
(B)  offers a warm invitation to the SNAP members who are victims of nun-abusers to speak to
the general assembly in August, 2014.

Years ago, when it was harvest time, all of the farmers in a region would gather together to harvest their crops, going from one farm to another until it was done.  It was also a grand social gathering, with the women working together to feed everybody, and the little children too young to help playing together in the barnyard.  On one such occasion, when everybody had come in from the fields for dinner, someone noticed that five-year-old Sara was missing.  They searched the barn and all of the surrounding buildings, but there was no sign of her.  Then they split up and went through the surrounding fields calling her name – again with no success.  After many hours of futile searching, someone suggested that they all join hands and walk across the fields like a human chain.  Eventually they stumbled upon her, all curled up in a little ball, but it was too late.  She was dead.  Someone remarked, “If only we had joined hands sooner, maybe we could have saved her!”

Through the numerous responses we have received since our Catholic Whistleblowers website became public, it has become evident that there are many Catholics who want to see some decisive action to protect our children from harm.  Since the Dallas Charter, bishops have made repeated promises to do better, but cover-ups have continued right up to the present day.  When bishops shield abusive priests instead of immediately taking action to remove them from ministry, one abuser can have multiple victims. That is not acceptable!  It’s not just the abusers who should be removed.  Every bishop who fails to protect children from abusers should also be removed from office.  That, however, is easier said than done!  Many heroic individuals have been trying for years to get their bishops to care more about the wellbeing of children than they do about their reputations, and they have been badly maligned every step of the way.

It is the hope of the Catholic Whistleblowers that we can motivate the Catholic laity to all join hands and work together to protect our children.  Bishops are quick to assure us that they have the problem under control and that there are very few current cases of abuse.  What they fail to acknowledge is that it often takes a victim of sexual abuse twenty or more years to speak out about his/her abuse, so God only knows what is really going on at this moment.  What we do know, however, is that numerous bishops have been less than forthright in their accounts of current abuse, with no structure in place to verify their less-than-transparent accounting.  The problem will not be resolved by the bishops.  In spite of all the negative publicity some of them have received for covering up child rapists, they never hold one another accountable.  Instead of relying on them, we all, as members of the Body of Christ, need to work together to force our bishops to realize that they were called to serve us—the Church—and that they are accountable to us for their ongoing failures to protect our children from criminal abuse.  For them to remain in office after allowing such criminal activity to occur is an abomination.

There are many reform minded groups with a long list of issues that need to be addressed.  The abuse of children, however, is not just one more issue.  It is a horrendous crime!  But covering it up is even worse.  While the act itself is usually the result of a serious psychological disorder, covering it up and allowing those dastardly deeds to continue is nothing short of diabolical.  Regardless of whether we are liberal or conservative, progressive or traditional, all people of conscience must join hands and work together to hold our bishops accountable for protecting our children.  As we prepare for a synod to discuss family life, this topic should be everyone’s top priority. 

I once visited friends at an Army base where the chapel had a problem with bats.  Every evening, bats could be seen flying around the chapel, which was quite annoying to the parishioners.  This went on for quite some time, causing lots of complaints.  One day, some of the men decided to take a look in the belfry to see if the bats were living up there.  When they opened the trap door in the ceiling of the vestibule, an avalanche of bat guano cascaded down all over them.  The problem had been going on for years for all of that guano to accumulate, and it was a serious hazard to everyone’s health.  But until they investigated, no one had any idea of the enormity of the problem.

I have long thought of that story as being symbolic of the state of the Church.  We have all been aware of various kinds of pesky “bats” flying around throughout the centuries.  People complained about the “bats”, but until fairly recently we had no idea where they were coming from or of the true nature of the problem.  Since the sex abuse crisis started to become public knowledge in Lafayette, LA an avalanche of “guano” has begun pouring out of the belfry, poisoning everyone in the whole Church.  It’s a horrible mess, but at least now we know what we are dealing with, and now we can start cleaning up the mess.