Perversion of Power: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church

Acknowledgments

ix Acknowledgments There is a paradox to writing. It is a very solitary pursuit yet it cannot be accomplished without others. Those others deserve recognition and giving it is one of the more pleasurable aspects of writing a book. In April 2002, Therese Ragen, Ph.D., a fellow psychoanalyst, piqued my interest in the Church sexual abuse scandal and prompted me to use my expertise to educate the bishops about the long-term impact of sexual abuse. I am grateful to her for many reasons. I have been treating adult survivors of sexual abuse for almost a quarter of a century. My life has been enriched through my relationship with survivors from whom I have learned much about suffering and triumph. Since I began working on this book, I have been supported by many survivors of priest abuse. Kathy Dwyer of Boston is a woman of great integrity who has become a colleague and a friend. Arthur Austin, Ann Hagan Webb, Steve Lewis, and David Clohessy all have modeled courage and persistence in pursuing personal recovery while insisting on restorative justice. There are other survivors who cannot be mentioned by name for whose encouragement I am deeply grateful. Survivor advocates like Anne Barrett Doyle, Paul Baier, Paul Kendrick, Terry McKiernan, Marge Bean, Lori Lambert, and Steve Sheehan also have welcomed me into their midst and cheered on my work. Bishop Paul Bootkoski allowed me to interview him and opened a window to his thinking and to his heart. I appreciate his confidence, his generosity, and his honesty. A number of priests read all or sections of this book or have helped me in other ways. Before I even spoke in Dallas, Rev. Richard P. McBrien , theologian at the University of Notre Dame, encouraged me to share with the bishops my knowledge about sexual abuse. He has been x Perversion of Power responsive to various questions I have had over the years. Rev. John L. Franck, A.A., and I agree about little that appears in this book yet John has been generous with his time and knowledge. We both have learned from our differences and I treasure our “odd couple” friendship. Rev. Paul Berube of Newburyport, Massachusetts, read the manuscript and made valuable suggestions, especially about my understanding of the theology of the Crucifixion. I am particularly indebted to Rev. James Martin, S.J., associate editor of America magazine, whose comments on Chapters 3–7 improved them greatly. Jim did not necessarily agree with all I had to say but was willing to comb the manuscript to improve my theological discussions . Rev. Michael Papesh also read much of the manuscript and was generous with helpful comments. Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, O.P., has sacrificed much to support victims and survivors of abuse. I am honored that he has become a friend who read the manuscript when he did not have the time to do so and made very valuable suggestions. Msgrs. John Allesandro and Peter Pflomm of the Diocese of Rockville Center, Msgr. Lawrence J. Breslin of Ohio, Revs. Ken Mich and Michael Erwin of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Rev. Robert Bowers of Boston, and Rev. James Scahill of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, all were generous in sharing their perceptions about the crisis and the Church with me. Rev. John Bambrick of New Jersey is a survivor and a priest. He has spoken out courageously about the scandal in the Church and was kind enough to share a dinner and many helpful insights with me. Through my conversations with these priests, I developed an appreciation for the dedication and long days of decent priests throughout this country. In addition to these Roman Catholic priests, I am grateful to Rev. Armand LaValle, an Episcopalian priest, who also read the manuscript and provided helpful comments. There were a number of Catholic laypeople who encouraged this project . Historian and author Garry Wills read a very early outline of the book and encouraged me to find a publisher. Paul Kellen of Massachusetts opened up speaking opportunities for me and has been a steadfast friend despite my lack of availability much of the time. Theologian Elizabeth Johnson and I spent a wonderful evening breaking Italian bread together on Arthur Avenue, the Little Italy of the Bronx. She shared her incredible intellect, generous spirit, and playful humor and I learned a lot in one night. Eugene Kennedy, psychologist, author, and inactive priest, urged me early on to pursue this book. He has been a regular correspondent who...