Regular readers of America on the Web may have already encountered the lively discussion of Sister Camille D’Arienzo’s article "Mercy Toward Our Fathers," in which she argues that granting forgiveness can bring much-needed healing to victims of sexual abuse. A number of sexual abuse victims have weighed in, and it is clear that for some the wounds inflicted by this tragedy are still very raw.
Now Charles Lewis, the esteemed religion reporter for the National Post in Canada, has published a Q&A with Sister Camille in which she discusses the anger that this topic can summon:
Q. Can a mere mortal forgive this kind sin?
A. My hope is that someone reading the article will have the grace and the wisdom to know when and with whom to broach the topic of forgiveness. I know that words meant to console and comfort can further ignite and aggravate victims. You can make a case for slience in every horror the world has ever known. We have histories of silence. Those who speak out are really setting themselves up for misunderstanding and anger. And that’s not at all what one wants.
Read the whole thing here.
To hear more from Sister Camille, listen to this interview we conducted for our podcast.
Tim Reidy
