Suzy Nauman
February 27, 2004
Press Conference Comments
I am a Catholic mother and a member of Voice of the Faithful. My faith is at
the core of who I am. I am determined to pass this faith that I treasure
on to my children, and I actively work to do so in many ways, including seeing
that we attend mass together regularly and by teaching my children’s
CCD classes. I am also a Eucharistic minister at my parish.
The “crisis” in the Catholic Church has shaken me to
my core. We now know that there are shockingly large numbers of priests
who have abused the young and vulnerable. We know that many of the
bishops who knew of these abuses and sheltered abusive priests while
silencing the victims are still active bishops! There is pain all
around. We have all been betrayed. Catholics who have responded by
joining Voice of the Faithful to be part of a positive effort to address
our Church’s serious problems, in many places have been banned
from meeting in their own parishes. Priests who are faithfully living
their vows, laboring day and night “in the Vineyard” tell
us they are demoralized and dispirited. They, too, have been abandoned
by their bishops.
I dearly want our Church to be healthy whole, and safe for me, for
my children and for all children and adults now and in the future.
If ever there was a time for Catholics everywhere to take responsibility
for our church, it is now. It is tempting to return to complacency
and to tell ourselves that the bishops “get it” now, and
are taking care of the problem-but we cannot. There is far too much
at stake! We have learned the hard way that we simply cannot take
the bishops’ word for it. They need us to help them to keep
to their word and to hold one another accountable. They need us to
help them to overcome the deeply ingrained tendency toward secrecy
and putting the reputation of the Church ahead full disclosure and
truth.
Catholic lay people have so much to offer, and each of us has a role
to play in the repair and reform of our Church. We have got to overcome
our tendency in this Catholic culture to be passive and docile. It
is up to us to step out of our comfort zones and, as St. Catherine
of Sienna said, to “Speak the truth, with love”.
As a Catholic mother I also know that we have got to be there for
the victim/survivors of clergy sexual abuse -those who have already
come forward, and those who have yet to summon the courage to come
forward. These people were our Catholic children. We can never forget
that! We have got to listen to them; to hear their stories. To do
so is humbling and powerful. The victim/survivors truly are Christ
suffering.
I am so grateful that the Voice of the Faithful was there for me
two years ago in Boston when the reality of the abuse crisis hit,
and that it is there for me now. It is incredibly healing to gather
with other Catholics who love the Church to pray, to share our pain
and hopes for the Church, and to ACT toward fulfilling our hopes for
a whole, healthy and safe Church for us and for our kids.
