The National Coalition of American Nuns continues to hold in our hearts
the plight of our sisters in Africa as well as that of women and children in
countries around the world who suffer rape, indignity, and other kinds of
violence at the hands of those whom they trusted.

It is particularly appalling when those responsible for such crimes are
agents of a Church which is slow to hear the cries of these victims. It is
unforgiveable that years go by between the reporting of these terrible
incidents and any acknowledgement of them by the Vatican. Each year that
passes means countless other young women and girls must endure extreme
physical and emotional suffering, often abandoned by family and Church.

We agree with Sister Maura O'Donohue--who seven years ago presented
the Congre-gation for Religious a detailed, confidential report documenting
what was happening--that the situation is a "delicate" one. However, it is
evident that silence merely encourages the oppressor and allows the evil to
continue unabated.

Therefore, the National Coalition of American Nuns asks all women and
our
concerned brothers in the Church to join their voices with ours to call the
Vatican and the African hierarchy to accountability by:
1. making a public apology for the sins of sexual abuse of these young
women
and girls by some members ofthe clergy;
2. providing financial support for counseling and other therapeutic services
for those who have been abused;
3. making a public commitment to educate themselves and the clergy about
respect for women;
4. providing reparations to the women whose lives have been violated;
5. making a public disclosure of the steps being taken to correct this
scandal and transgression of the rights of women.

We further ask:
1. If the perpetrators were not priests, would not criminal charges be
filed
against them?
2. Are Church people aware that the United Nations has declared rape a
crime
against humanity?
3. Would withholding and/or not acting upon this information for years make
those who kept this shameful silence complicit in the further crimes
committed against these women?
4. Does our own silence lend consent?


Washington april 2001

Ritorna alla pagina principale