This presentation was prepared for a Major Superiors Leadership Conference. The goal is to raise awareness about the situation, educate about circumstances and situations where abuse can happen, develop skills for young women religious (sisters) specifically to deal with situations, and prompt major superiors to develop protocols for reporting and healing. Resources are listed at the end, including films dealing with clergy sex abuse and links to educational and policy resources.

1. CATHOLIC CLERGY
SEX ABUSE:
SCANDAL & CRISIS
PREVENTION & HEALINGNadia Jamil

2. A NOTE ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION
 This presentation was created by Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP, D.Min. in
the USA, in response to a request from a regional superior of a
community in a developing country. It is for leadership and
formation directors. Rose consulted Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC, who
worked for 21 years in the vocation office for the Archdiocese of
Los Angeles screening men for the seminary and for five years as
Director of Seminarians. Sr Kathleen has also worked with victims
of human trafficking and sexual abuse for 18 years. Sr. Suzanne
Mayer, IHM, Professor of Pastor Counseling, Neumann University,
Philadelphia also contributed to this presentation. Please feel free
to make changes and adapt visuals, examples, terminology to your
own situation. For any questions please consult VirtusOnline.org
for more resources and information about best practices.

3. CLERGY SEX ABUSE:
SCANDAL & CRISIS
PREVENTION & HEALING
SHINING LIGHT ON THE DARKNESS

4. OUTLINE:
CLERGY
SEX ABUSE:
SCANDAL &
CRISIS
PREVENTION &
HEALING
1. The Reality
2. History
3. The Most Vulnerable
4. What to Teach about Clergy Sex
Abuse
5. How Do We Prevent Clergy Sex
Abuse in Religious Life?
6. Healing
7. Resources

5. 1. REALITY:
CLERGY
SEX ABUSE IS
NOT ONLY A
CATHOLIC
ISSUE
The abuse of children is a
worldwide crisis. But because
we Catholics say we are
better, that our teaching is
true and good, that our
Church is the true Church, the
scandal is greater.

6. 2. HISTORY: THE
CLERGY ABUSE
SCANDAL
BREAKS IN THE
CATHOLIC
WORLD
 1985 Clergy sex abuse revealed in the USA
 1993 Former priest James Porter arrested and convicted
 2002 News that Cardinal Law of Boston had covered up for abusive
priests and transferred them, rather than report them to the police.
This results in the Cardinal’s resignation
 2000+ Clergy sex abuse incidents uncovered in Canada, Ireland,
Australia, Argentina
 2010 Clergy sex abuse scandal spreads to other countries
 "The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic
Priests in the United States, 1950-2010," (in 2011) reports the findings
of a study mandated in 2002 under the U.S. Catholic bishops' "Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People.” (See Resource
section below.)
 2017 Crisis in Chile
 2018 More clergy sex abuse and cover-up revealed in the USA

7. 3. WHO ARE THE
MOST
VULNERABLE TO
CLERGY SEXUAL
ABUSE?
 Children and females (with male victims in the
majority)
 Those who are inclined to please authority figures
 Those who have a deep respect for the clergy that
can lead to silence or making excuses for clergy
 Those who lack self-confidence or do not use their
voices because
 Do/did not have a sense of self or identity apart from
their role as a religious person
 Grew up in poverty
 Grew up without security: e.g. from war/armed
conflict zones
 Are orphans and refugees
 Are socially isolated or unable to engage socially due
to family circumstances, lack of education
 Have been previously abused regardless of their
social or cultural background

8. 4. WHAT TO TEACH
ABOUT CLERGY SEX
ABUSE
(HOW TO TEACH IT IS
SOMETHING EACH
COMMUNITY MUST
DISCERN BUT IT BEGINS
WITH COURAGE, RESPECT
& HONESTY)
The purpose of teaching
about clergy sex abuse is to
prevent and stop it
happening by building
confidence, informing and
educating the sisters.
The purpose is also to
create healthy and mature
ministerial interactions
through awareness and
creating safe environments.

9. WHAT IS CLERGY SEX ABUSE?
When the clergy (deacons, priests or
bishops) sexually molest (touch, kiss,
fondle), rape minors,(or members of other
vulnerable populations*) force them to
have oral sex or any sexual contact
When the clergy harass minors and
women and members of vulnerable
populations* (including postulants,
novices, sisters, seminarians) sexually
When the clergy “groom” their potential
victims by promising or giving them gifts
and favors
* Vulnerable populations include persons who are racial or ethnic minorities,
children, elderly, socioeconomically disadvantaged, underinsured or those
with certain medical conditions.

10. WHAT IS CLERGY SEX ABUSE?
When clergy use their power to threaten their victims (and families) or tell them not to tell their mothers or
fathers;
When clergy threaten postulants, novices or professed sisters to remain silent and not tell their superior;
When the clergy does not report sexual abuse to their superiors or civil authorities;
You can include teachers and catechists, anyone who works for the church
and has access to children and vulnerable adults as “clergy.”

11. WHAT IS CLERGY SEX ABUSE?
When no one takes action to bring the perpetrator to justice;
When abusers are protected by silence;
When a victim is not listened to or believed;
When a victim is told to keep silence, a secret, so as not to shame
her(or his) family, church, school, or congregation.

12. HUMAN AND CATHOLIC TEACHING SAYS:
SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS GOOD AND RIGHT ONLY
WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE
Respectful
The good of
the other is
the intention
There is
consent
each time
There is
openness
to life

13. HUMAN AND CATHOLIC TEACHING SAYS:
Outside of marriage, all sexual contact,
including verbal harassment, sexual acts
between an adult & a child, an older (teen)
child and a younger child, or any adult and a
non-consenting adult, are always wrong and
immoral.
THIS IS SEXUAL ABUSE.

14. NO MATTER WHO THE AGGRESSIVE
ADULT OR PERSON IS:
CLERGY, PARENT, A WOMAN, FAMILY
RELATIVE, FAMILY FRIEND, TEACHER,
SHOPKEEPER, POLICE, MILITARY,
WORKER, NEIGHBOR, STRANGER
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS BECAUSE
SEXUAL ABUSE IS ALWAYS WRONG!

15. NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO TOUCH YOUR BODY
EVER WITHOUT YOUR EXPRESS CONSENT.
YOUR BODY IS GOOD AND HOLY AND
BELONGS ONLY TO YOU AND GOD.
Prevention tip:
Explain that, during
visits to the doctor or
a dentist, a female
nurse should always
be present as well.

16. HOW DO CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSERS
PREY ON SISTERS?
Grooming
Threats
Shaming
Isolating
Inappropriate touching
Communicating secretly

17. HOW TO IDENTIFY
GROOMING BEHAVIOR
Perpetrators prepare their victims. They . . .
 Single people out - for special attention, friendship, relationship; may take photos and give
gifts to make them feel “special”
 Cross boundaries - May test personal boundaries by following them into an empty room,
staring at the person’s body, telling inappropriate stories or jokes to see how far they can
go
 Touch – they may touch a hand or an arm, pat someone’s face to test boundaries; they may
move from innocent touching to sexual touching and make it seem like an accident

18. HOW TO IDENTIFY GROOMING BEHAVIOR,
CONT.
 Intimidation – once the abuser has crossed boundaries, he will warn the victim; “No
one will believe you” or “If you tell you will shame your family,” “If you tell I will deny
it, and you will be called a liar” and “If you tell, they will send you home.”
 Sexual predators and abusers will send sexual texts or emails or try to play a
sexualized game; show sexual photos;
 They will keep their communications secret and see if the person will tell. If they
do not tell, they will continue.

19. HOW DO WE PREVENT CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
IN RELIGIOUS LIFE?
Empower Empower them by teaching them appropriate skills
Believe Believe them
Listen Listen to those reporting abuse; listen deeply
Teach When you train them to work in ministry, teach them how to identify situations – and avoid situations - that can lead to harm
Form Form the young religious to be confident women

20. IS THERE A CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE PROBLEM
IN RELIGIOUS LIFE?
Yes.
Ongoing reports
from many countries
have revealed this.

21. CREATE A STRATEGY FOR REPORTING ABUSE
1
Create a plan for reporting
abuse; identify sisters within
the community who can and
will deal with the abuser.
2
Don’t report to bishop or
priest as the first step to deal
with the situation; they may
be the abusers or may protect
them.
3
Do not sacrifice a sister to protect the
congregation or the church or school or
hospital because the sister deserves
justice and the community deserves to
be safeguarded from abusers.

22. ALWAYS BELIEVE THE YOUNG SISTER(S)
 In the past some superiors of women’s religious
communities have not believed the sisters; they have
covered up for seminarians, priests and bishops rather
than reveal and report criminal sexual behavior. They
have kept silent. This results in continuing abuse, and the
spread of abuse.

23. HOW TO PREVENT
CLERGY SEX ABUSE
IN RELIGIOUS LIFE: SUGGESTIONS
Identify and avoid
Identify and avoid
the occasions and
situations
Don’t give
Don’t give young
sisters
assignments
where they are
vulnerable
Don’t send
Don’t send a sister
alone to work in a
sacristy, church,
school, rectory
Don’t send
Don’t send sisters
alone to be
housekeepers or
cooks
Don’t ask
Don’t ask them to
provide a letter of
recommendation
from a priest (they
may ask for sexual
favors in return).
Letters can come
from female teachers
or others.

24. HOW TO PREVENT CLERGY SEX ABUSE IN
RELIGIOUS LIFE: SUGGESTIONS, CONT.
Don’t send
Don’t send them alone
to deliver a letter,
parcel or message. Use
technology whenever
possible.
Don’t enter
Instruct them do not
enter a house, office or
room where they will
be alone with a
member of the clergy;
leave the letter or
package at the door
Make sure
For spiritual direction, if
possible, make sure the
sister is visible from the
hallway and choose
religious women to be
spiritual directors.
Sisters can always stand
up and walk away, even
in confession!
Teach
Teach the young sisters
to say something if
harassment or abuse
occurs, to use their
voice for good, to
speak up. Teach them
not to keep secrets
about abuse even if the
abuser tells them to do
so.

25. IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THEY HAVE BEEN
SEXUALLY ABUSED BY A CLERIC OR CHURCH
WORKER:
 In case of rape or a sexual attack, convince the
person that she must go with you to the hospital
immediately;
 Be sure the person who was abused is safe;
 Document each step; obtain copies of tests and
reports;
 File a police report;
 Then report the abuse to church authorities.

26. PRACTICE ROLE PLAYING
 Role playing means to act, to
imagine, to pretend the part of
particular persons or characters as a
technique for training in life skills.
 After the scenario is acted out talk
about it.

27. PRACTICE ROLE PLAYING #1
 Choose a sister to play a priest in face-to-face
confession or spiritual direction.
 When ”he” reaches out to caress a sister’s face, or
gets up and walks behind her and tries to massage
her shoulders, she stands up and walks out without
saying a word.
 She tells her superior.
 She does not return to this priest for confession or
spiritual direction even if he calls her or emails her.
She does not respond.
 Her superior believes her and takes action according
to the established protocol.
SCENARIO:

28. PRACTICE ROLE PLAYING
#2
SCENARIO:
 Choose one sister to play a novice and one to play the
novice director.
 The novice goes to the novice director and tells/shows a
suggestive (sexual) email a priest (seminarian or bishop) sent
to her and sends another asking her to meet with her in the
rectory because he has a gift for her.
 The novice director listens, asks if there were other emails,
tells her not to respond or meet with the priest again.
 She then shows the email to the major superior who takes
action (according to the protocol in place.)

29. PRACTICE ROLE
PLAYING #3
SCENARIO:
A professed sister who is younger than you and a
university student comes to you and says a young priest
student has asked her to meet him in a vacant house (or
classroom) to talk about spiritual things where no one
will bother them.
What advice do you give her?
What should she do? (It is ok for them to talk! But in an
open place like a coffee shop)
Ask her for three good and specific reasons why she
thinks avoiding vacant places is a good and prudent
thing to do.
This entire scenario really happened; when the sister called
and told the priest she would meet him at KFC rather than
the vacant house, he became angry showing his intentions
were perhaps not good.

30. TO BUILD CONFIDENCE:
TRUST YOUR FEMALE INTUITION!
 If it does not feel right, you have a
right to stand up and walk out of any
situation in which your personal space is
violated: confession, spiritual direction,
even if you are sitting next to an
authority person at a meal - or any
situation that makes you uncomfortable.
Tell the superior.

31. HEALING
FROM CLERGY
SEXUAL ABUSE
 Begins by listening and
believing the sister
 Avoid shaming and
blaming the victim
 Follow protocols
 Provide therapy
 Spiritual and emotional
support from the
community
 Consult Virtus Online

32. RESOURCES
BE PROPHETIC:
THE BEST WAY TO STOP SEXUAL
ABUSE IS TO SPEAK OUT AND SHINE
A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
Sexual abusers stay in the dark.
They want you to be silent and stay in the dark, too.
Only light will cancel the darkness.

33. NADIA JAMIL, ACTRESS
 “I was four when I was first abused sexually. In college it blew out
of proportion. People tell me not to talk to respect my family’s
honour. Is my family’s honour packed in my body? I am a proud,
strong, loving survivor. No shame on me or my kids. Only pride for
being me.”
“When I sexually abused it was by my Kari Sahab, my driver and
then by a highly educated elite family’s son, now, a happily married
business man in London. It’s across the board. Men abuse across the
board. My family still wants me to stay silent. But the shame IS NOT
MINE! Never ever.”

34. REASSURE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED:
“IT IS NEVER YOUR FAULT YOU WERE ABUSED.”
“IT IS NOT YOUR SHAME OR YOUR FAMILY’S SHAME.”
The shame belongs to the abuser, the perpetrator.
Religious superiors must never cover up for any
abusers: bishops, priests, seminarians, no
matter what.

35. RESOURCES
VISIT VIRTUSONLINE.ORG AND SIGN UP FOR ONLINE
LEARNING

36. THE CAUSES AND CONTEXT OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF
MINORS BY CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN THE UNITED
STATES, 1950-2010
A Report Presented to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
by the John Jay College Research Team

37. ME TOO MOVEMENT
https://metoomvmt.org
The #MeToo Movement (on social media first) started in
2017 when Hollywood actresses (and actors) began reporting
sexual abuse in the workplace, revealing that it is a
widespread problem.

38. FOR MORE INFORMATION:
SEE “CHILD SEX ABUSE” CHAPTER 7, WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION
HTTP://WWW.WHO.INT/VIOLENCE_INJURY_PREVENTION/RE
SOURCES/PUBLICATIONS/EN/GUIDELINES_CHAP7.PDF

39. FILMS ABOUT CLERGY SEX ABUSE
(PLEASE PREVIEW BEFORE SHOWING TO A GROUP)
• Doubt (fiction; USA)
• Spotlight (based on true story; USA)
• Deliver Us From Evil (documentary; USA/Ireland)
• Calvary (fictional; Ireland)
• Boys of St. Vincent (based on true story; Canada)
• For more titles see imdb.com

40. CLERGY SEX ABUSE:
SCANDAL & CRISIS
PREVENTION & HEALING
SHINING LIGHT ON THE DARKNESS
Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP, D. Min.
Pauline Center for Media Studies
Culver City, CA 90230
PCMS@paulinemedia.com
© Daughter of St Paul 2018
With SPECIAL THANKS to Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC and Sr. Suzanne Mayer, IHM)