COMMENTARY
THE ABBOT STEPS OUT
Vince Grenough

Abbot Damien Thompson, OCSO, from the Trappist abbey of Gethsemani in central Kentucky, did something most unusual for an abbot, especially the abbot of a monastery that is founded on "strict observance." On Sunday evening, November 11, he left the abbey to speak to an audience "on the outside," at Church of the Epiphany in Louisville KY. The title of his talk was "Healing the Wounds of the Family."

He said he decided to do it because he feels there is a need for a bridge between the survivors and the Church from which survivors have become disaffiliated. He states, "That's the role we (the monks) are hoping to fulfill. It seems the archdiocese will be a focus for this union because of the encouragement of the new ordinary of Louisville, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, who has expressed his interest in moving in this direction by having recently met with members of Voice of the Faithful."

The event, sponsored by M.O.E. (Men of Epiphany), brought together about thirty men and one woman. Seven members of the audience were members of the Louisville area affiliate of Voice of the Faithful. Five of those are survivors of sexual abuse by priests. These five have gotten to know Abbot Damien because they accepted the invitation of the monks of the abbey earlier this year to come and have a dialogue. Since then the monks have issued a special invitation to anyone who is affected by sexual abuse, especially by a representative of the Catholic Church, to come there to seek healing and reconciliation.

Abbot Damien said he is deeply saddened by the current situation in which Church leaders and supporters of survivors of clergy sexual abuse are often at odds - looking at one another with distrust and anger. He said we all need to look in the same direction - toward Jesus who wants to heal and reconcile everyone who comes to Him. He thinks that the archdiocese of Louisville is an ideal place where such healing and reconciliation can happen and would serve as a model and incentive for others to follow. He expressed strong encouragement for Voice of the Faithful to continue in dialogue and partnership with Archbishop Kurtz, whom he considers a good friend and a good man.

This was not a Voice of the Faithful event but mention of VOTF came up often during the talk and during the dialogue that followed. Some of the men in the audience admitted they had never heard of Voice of the Faithful before. Brayton Bowen, who organized the event for M.O.E., said he had never met Abbot Damien but decided to take a "shot in the dark" by inviting him. Brayton's shot in the dark caused a wonderful light to be lit.“You are being honored today because you have done what has unfortunately become extraordinary in today’s Catholic church. You have stood with the People of God even when it meant standing up to the injustices and the narcissism of the institutional office holders. If anyone can rightly be called leaders in the Church today it is the three of you. Your clear and consistent message of word but above all of living example is the most eloquent form of preaching the Gospel. I am honored and privileged to be able to add my own words of recognition to those of so many others. The powerful example of just the three of you is restoring honor and credibility to the priesthood and to Christian witness at a time when the silence, fear and apathy of so many in the clerical world, and among the laity as well, are reducing it to irrelevance.

The nightmare of clergy sexual abuse and hierarchical cover-up has brought out the very worst among the hierarchy and the laity, epitomized by the radical misunderstanding of what the Church is really about…the heresy that obsession with the institution and its hierarchy is more important than justice and compassion for the countless people scarred by sexual and spiritual abuse. The three of you have done more by your action to restore the perception that the Church is truly the People of God than the hollow words of those who talk of reform yet succumb to fear. I salute you for your courage and above all, I salute you for restoring life to the Gospel in our day.”

We begin this “Priest of Integrity” series with Monsignor Ken Lasch.

Among some of the many comments made on his behalf are the following:
“Fr. Lasch is the retired pastor of St. Joseph’s in Mendham, NH. He was then and continues to be a vigorous advocate for victims. As a pastor, he literally dragged his bishop to a meeting with seven altar boys, all victims of former pastor James Hanley, to listen to their stories. This event was well documented and commented upon in the press and by one victim in particular, Mark Serrano (SNAP). The bishop seemed to have a change of heart and did not object when the Millstone Memorial was erected on parish grounds. Father Lasch’s persistence in going to the press when stonewalled by his bishop cost him the lasting fury of the diocesan leaders.”

Father Lasch earned a doctorate in Canon Law at St. John Lateran University in Rome, Italy. He is one of the founders of Project Millstones. He has spoken at VOTF gatherings, supported survivors unhesitatingly beginning in 1985 and he continues to speak out both for survivors and the reforms of Vatican II. . Google him for more information, or, better yet, log onto his website at www.fatherlasch.com.


Ginny Hoehne is one of the many nominators of Fr. Ken, and as the mother of a son abused by a priest in Ohio, she gave a passionate introduction with a photographs of both her son and Fr. Lasch displayed. Since Fr. Ken was not able to be with us in person, she read his letter to the gathered assembly. At the same time, she had him listen on the telephone so he could be part of the presentation. He could surely hear the applause on his behalf, but couldn’t see the standing ovation he received at the end!

NEXT ISSUE: Fr. Richard Reissmann
Followed by Fr. Steve Stanbery
And then the other priests who were nominated, not as widely known but also deserving of our recognition:
Brennan, Pat
Hammer, Bill
Hatch, David
Josoma, Stephen
McGee, James
O'Connell, Michael
Schmeider, Mark
Stasker, Louis
.
Past recipients include:
2002 - Tom Doyle, OP
2004 – Fr. James J. Scahill
2005 – Msgr. Lawrence Breslin
February, 2007 – Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
October, 2007 – Msgr. Kenneth Lasch, Fr. Richard Reissmann, Fr. Stephen Stanbery