Genuine Humanity

John 3:8New International Version (NIV)

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Question

I just get up in the morning and take it from there. Im usually quite happy as long as im not hormonal or anxious. Its unrealistic to think you can be blissful all the time. Thats just daft. But there are programs and some kinds of new age beliefs systems that promise this kind of stuff. Well it works well if thats your belief system and things are going good in your life but when life takes a turn these kinds of belief systems are disastrous because the person blames themselves.

Response

I understand what you are saying and can empathize, although I always awaken with anxiety, even when things are going well, this is a product of my abuse/trauma experiences, which occurred at night and left me with no memory but the anxiety I the morning. I think that anxiety is an indicator of repression as is depression. I think though to be an authentic human being I must experience all emotions as the occur. I do not believe in negative emotions putting a value judgement on an emotion to me is like comparing a healthy redwood with a healthy eucalyptus. One may prefer one to the other; this preference may even change on different days , but the fact is they are and the can be appreciated. With emotions this is this time taken to appreciate the existence of a tree is called processing. While admiring a tree may be a luxury for some, processing emotions is a necessity of genuine humanity. Watching the waves of the sea is the best analogy I have found for describing the play of emotions within a human being. They are many and different and ebb and flow as they well they crest and valley as they will. To not notice this sea of emotions within us and react appropriately is to not be fully human. I think the goal of must new age religions, and I have found them to be mostly variations of Hinduism invite us to sea the ocean while ignoring the waves. Additionally, this is onr of the fundamental flaws of cognitive psychology v. constructivism. Pax Christi

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Archbishop Chaput's Press Release and My Response.

Archbishop Charles Chaput

absp.cchaput@chs-adphila.org

ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

OFFICE FOR COMMUNICATIONS

222 North Seventeenth Street ● Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-1299

Telephone (215) 587-3747 ● communof@adphila.org ● www.archphila.org

                                                                                                                                                          

For Immediate Release                                                                                                   Contact:Kenneth A. Gavin

January 3, 2014                                                                                                   Director of Communications

                                                                                                                                                215-587-3747 (office)

                                                                                                                                                610-291-0838 (cell)              

                                                                                                                 

LETTER FROM ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT TO THE CLERGY AND FAITHFUL OF THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA

Dear friends in Christ,

On December 26, Pennsylvania's Superior Court unanimously reversed the 2012 conviction of Msgr. William Lynn on a charge of endangering the welfare of children.  At my direction, the Archdiocese has provided 10 percent of Msgr. Lynn's bail – $25,000 – to assist his release from prison.  Msgr. Lynn is free but constrained by a number of court restrictions pending an appeal of the reversal by civil authorities to the commonwealth's Supreme Court. 

Msgr. Lynn remains on administrative leave.  As such, he may not function publicly as a priest. 

The Superior Court ruling does not vindicate Msgr. Lynn's past decisions.  Nor does it absolve the Archdiocese from deeply flawed thinking and actions in the past that resulted in bitter suffering for victims of sexual abuse and their families.  Above all, it does not and cannot erase the Archdiocese's duty to help survivors heal.  We remain committed to that healing – now and in the future.

For the past three years the Archdiocese has worked vigorously to reform the way it protects the children and families it serves.  New policies and procedures, new standards of ministerial behavior, new Archdiocesan Review Board members, mandated reporter training for thousands of volunteers, clergy and staff: All these things are a matter of public record.  Throughout the trial of Msgr. Lynn, the Archdiocese cooperated fully and honestly with law enforcement and the court.  And that cooperation will continue, whatever the final outcome of Msgr. Lynn's case.  We cannot change the past.  But we can and will do everything in our power to prevent it from being repeated.

I understand and accept the anger felt toward the Archdiocese by many of our people and priests, as well as the general public, for the ugly events of the past decade.  Only time and a record of honest conversion by the Archdiocese can change that.  Msgr. Lynn has already spent 18 months in prison on a conviction which Pennsylvania's state appellate court has reversed – unanimously – as “fundamentally flawed.”  This reversal is not a matter of technicalities but of legal substance.  That is made very clear in the text of the Superior Court's decision.

Msgr. Lynn presents no danger to anyone.  He poses no flight risk.  The funding for his bail has been taken from no parish, school or ministry resources, impacts no ongoing work of the Church and will be returned when the terms of bail are completed.  Nor does it diminish in any way our determination to root out the possibility of sexual abuse from the life of our local Church.

As a result, I believe that assisting Msgr. Lynn's family and attorney with resources for his bail is both reasonable and just.  We have acted accordingly.

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ,

+Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.
Archbishop of Philadelphia

My Response:

Your Excellency,

As a survivor, I know that childhood sexual abuse is evil. It is an act of violence against a child that takes a sexual form. It is not pedophilia. It is not steeped in homosexuality. This is the language and perspective of the perpetrator. It represents and ontological perspective that must change. The change must be the perspective of the survivor with focus on the survivor. There is no understanding the perpetrator -- what motivates them how they "get off." Childhood sexual abuse is profound evil. It is a staple of satanic ritual. It is an evil as profound as abortion. In abortion the child is murdered in the womb. With CSA the child is buried alive. Tacit support for and tolerance of it has no place in the Church that Jesus came to found. Jesus Himself prophesied this scandal and showed us how to properly relate to it. He defined the ontological perspective.

1 At *that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?

2 *And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,

3 And said: Amen I say unto you, *unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

6 *But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 Wo to the world because of scandals.

For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless wo to that man by whom the scandal cometh.

8 *And if thy hand or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.

9 And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, *that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Whenever I hear of an evil man who would take a collar and a cassock in order to do evil to children or protect those who do such evil. I am reminded of the vast majority of our priests holy men who labor in relative obscurity performing prodigious works of charity and love. Men who's ability to do good is surpassed only by their ability to hide the good they do. Their treasure is not of this earth but stored up in heaven. There are many I have known. I shall mention two of those who have gone to heaven, while not mentioning those who are still with us, because I know they would ant it that way.

One such priest was Fr. Leo McAlister. I knew him when he was at our Lady of the Assumption parish in Sacramento Ca. I met him and was able to speak with him privately. He had the most amazing ability to explain at daily Mass the gospel reading in full and make it relevant for today, and he did it in 5 minutes off the cuff as it seemed, because that is the way he lived. At his funeral people were amazed at the prodigious works of charity he did throughout his years as a simple and humble parish priest. I am certain that not all that he did was revealed and remains known only to God and the recipients of his faith in action.

The other was Monsignor O'Brien. Monsignor O'Brien was the pastor of my parish where I went to Catholic school while I was being sexually abused by the adults whom I was completely dependent on for everything worldly and from whom I had a right to expect love, devotion and care. What I got was sexual abuse. until I was made into something no child should ever have to experience. I became a seasoned vetern of sex at 9 years old. A sexually experienced child. A hideous feeling of betray, and worthlessness coupled with a worthiness defined by my sexual value. It was a long evolution from sexual innocence a virgin until 4 years old to a seasoned veteran at 9.

I ran from the experience and the feelings. I never wanted this did not choose it and it is so far from who I truly am. My self and ego(the seat of my hopes dreams and aspirations) the very me of me the me that is the image and likeness of God had been corrupted by my abusers. Ick Ick Ick.

Monsignor O'brien from Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Clovis, Ca, put an end to the abuse by speaking boldly and firmly the truth to the adults charged with my care. He was not able he did not live long enough to administer or to see that healing was administered, you know that is rightly the perpetrators job. A genuine hero in a small and yet great way.

I remember during this time the many times he called on me to serve Mass, as a child I did not know he was presenting me to God for healing during these Masses and protecting me from the adults.

This Irish Priest who spoke in Brogue, who had the courage to stand up for a child and do what was right regardless of the cost. To me he is hero and a Saint. I remember we had to hold his cassock as he ascended the steps to the alter, his arthritis was so bad he might trip if we did not. I did not really no this then. The pain he must of felt in his legs and in his heart as he had empathy for me the only adult in my life who cared about me, who did not objectify me, who saw Christ in me .as we are all called to do when we see the least among us. We had a xylophone, instead of bells to ring at daily Mass, at those moments at those moments when the miracle was actually taking place, when Jesus came down from heaven when that window opened up that window that only priests can open between heaven and earth when the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of our lord. The most mundane and yet the most spectacular metaphysical event on earth, that which cause angelic choruses in Heaven. and even the angels envy when we partake in the body and blood of our lord. Where simultaneously my angel was looking on the face of the Father. This is who I am, not a sexualized child.

And yet these evil men who would infiltrate our church and put on a collar to commit hideous acts of evil. These evil men not only harm the children but taint the majority of good and saintly priests that are the norm not the exception.

It does not matter what perpetrator say, It does not matter how they present themselves, they are evil by what they do. This is the truth. Perpetrators look wonderful on the outside, what better way to do that than with a collar and a cassock. The transference of emotions: the shame, the guilt, the sense of betrayl, the witlessness, and the worthiness as a sex object these are what befall the child the survivor instead of where it rightly belongs on the perpetrator. Is it any wonder that Jesus who understands all said what he said when he prophesied this very scandal. Is it any wonder that this evil should be a staple of Satanism. Is it any wonder that evil men would chose to hide their evil intent and ambitions with a collar and a cassock. Perpetrators slip and slide away looking perfect on the outside smiling outgoing friendly untainted by shame of their crime. What is this but evil personified.

While most societies have maintained a sense of

taboo regarding incest, in point of fact, the sense

of taboo has not been in committing incest, but

rather in talking about incest, especially by

those who have experienced it.

The perspective the language of perpetration must change. It must change to the perspective and language of the survivor. To the language and perspective of Our Lord and Savior, the very ontology of Christ.

As far as this scandal is concerned and the specific issue at hand of bailing out a priest who would support evil in the very Church that Jesus founded. In other words what would Jesus do?

We have this example from scripture:

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

12And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."…

In other words Your Excellency, protects us, stand with us, gives us safety and refuge in the one place the only place that some of  us can go to get relief and sustenance. In other words Your Excellency cleanse the temple make the kingdom of Heaven/God safe and holy again. Root them out and throw them out with the same passion and love for God as Jesus exhibited when he cleansed the temple. Get rid of these evil men who are attempting to destroy the Church from the inside out. Expose them for the cancerous evil that they are. Make cleansing the temple your top priority.  Make the very kingdom of God/Heaven on earth a safe harbor for survivors not a safe  harbor for perpetrators.

Your Excellency for some reason Our Lord and Savior has put you in this place at this time. Respectfully, I do not think you fully understand the responsibility and the ability to do good or fully what Our Lord is asking. Your words are nice, however your position charges you with action.

Support the survivor not the perpetrator

The time has come to Cleanse the temple.

Throw them out. Don't bail them out!

Pax Christi,

Fred Celio

I recommend the following book
"Trauma and Recovery" by Judith Herman M.D.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/11/1090657/-Books-That-Changed-My-Life-Trauma-Recovery-by-Judith-Herman-M-D#

A brief video introduction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USTKmffoQms

The Church Must Remove Evil From It's Midst

Email thread with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia follows.

Posted without comment.


Fred Celio
to: shepherd@adphila.org

date: Wed, Jan 1, 2014 at 2:35 PM
subject: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com



Archbishop Chaput,

Evil men who would put on a collar in order to abuse and those who would protect them or hide the truth or do anything but hand them over to the authorities need to be weeded out not bailed out.
Childhood sexual abuse is a profound evil as evil as abortion.
CSA is a staple of satanic ritual as is human sacrifice of children right here in the USA.
...
"Monsignor William Lynn's attorneys posted 10-percent of the $250,000 bail, which was set after an appeals court overturned his conviction last week.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia also "assisted" with providing the bail, spokesman Ken Gavin"

Jesus Prophesied this scandal in Matt 18.

If Monsignor William Lynn is not responsible for the cover up then turn yourself in. Reflect on the whole of Matt 18.

An ontological change must take place within the Church one that supports the survivors 100% not the perpetrators. Turn them over to the authorities. To not do this is to support evil within the Church, to cover up is to support evil within the Church, and it hurts the vast majority of holy men who minister to us all, those men who honor their collar. The ones you are supposed to be leading.

Turn the evil men posing as priests over to the civil authorities. It is as simple and as black and white as this.

Oh, while your at it, reign in Bill Donahue of the Catholic League.

Pax Christi,
Fred Celio


A bit of my own story appears below
http://survivechildhoodsexualabuse.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-garage-next-door.html

btw it was a Catholic Priest Monsignor O'Brien of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Clovis, Ca who put a stop to my abuse.






to: shepherd

date: Wed, Jan 1, 2014 at 3:03 PM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com

Archbishop Chaput,


Your Eminence, my apologies for my familiarity of tone in my previous email.


Respectfully Yours,
Fred Celio.





Archbishop Charles Chaput
to: Fred Celio

































date: Wed, Jan 1, 2014 at 3:38 PM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: chs-adphila.org


Fred, the superior court found the Msgr. Lynn did not break the law and that is simply what the bail is about.  I am sure that you would want your family to help you in that same way.



I assure you that we spend much more money on helping abuse victims and much more money helping the poor than in helping Msgr. Lynn's family to post bail.


There always needs to be Christina charity on all sides. There is no coverup or anything like that going on here.


God bless you in every way in the new year ahead.

+cjc







Fred Celio
to: Archbishop Charles Chaput ,
info@la-archdiocese.org,
mediarelations@la-archdiocese.org,
"Fr. Paul G"

date: Wed, Jan 1, 2014 at 11:58 PM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com

Childhood Sexual Abuse is an evil as profound as abortion. One kills a child in the womb. The other buries a child alive.




Archbishop Chaput's (Staff)

Your Eminence, again please forgive my tone of familiarity and the informal form of my email. I do feel I have some legitimate concerns and insight.
Although, I do realize that matters of finance and administration are important,
these were not my reason for originally writing to you.
My concern is with an ontology that pervades regarding abuse, particularly childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Specifically a view that would cause our pastors to as in your response mention abusers or perpetrators and the men who shield them to be mentioned first in your response. This exemplifies a view point that is dominant. One in which the abuser, the perpetrator, receives focus, care and attention that is undeserved.


I am familiar in a general way with the case regarding Monsignor William Lynn. I understand that he is not accused of abuse but of transferring a priest who was accused of CSA without informing the civil authorities. I further understand that the priest that Monsignor Lynn transferred was accused of CSA by two individuals,one of whom received a cash settlement from the Archdiocese. Also, I understand that a lower court convicted Monsignor Lynn for not informing the civil authorities and turn the priest over to them, and that the conviction was over turned by the state appeals court. Further the Philadelphia district attorney according to the media is going to take the case to the next level. I have come to understand, Your Eminence has had no involvement in the wrongdoing. Please accept my apology for my previous implication based on a false assumption on my part. According to the media report I read, these events occurred under the pastoral tenure of Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua.


My concern is with the pervasive view within the Church and society that allows abuse to continue to occur and actually supports and promotes molestation.


This view focuses attention on the perpetrator, the salacious nature of the crime, the sensationalism of the media, punishment or avoiding punishment, and cash settlements to the survivors. To me this is more than an errant view point, it is ontological and reigns within humanity..


The more moral perspective, the more Christ like perspective is one in which the survivor and the trauma they have suffered has the focus, and all other concerns are secondary. This is the Christian ontological perspective and is based on scripture and the Church's unique fulfillment of Christ. If in Christ the old law or testament is fulfilled then it is withing the Church and only within the Church that Christ is fulfilled. . Thus the shift in ontological perspective outlined by Our Lord in Matt 18 must manifest in the Church if the Church is to retain what I have just described.


Some examples of the shift in perspective that I am describing is that Childhood sexual abuse is evil. Not deviant behavior, not morally wrong not illegal activity,not shameful, not even morally reprehensible, but an evil as profoundly evil as abortion. ,Men do not become priests and then somehow are overcome with an inclination to pedophilia which may or may not have previously existed -- this point of view supports the current paradigm that in turn supports abuse by reducing it from what it is -- evil -- to a sexually deviate pre-disposition. Childhood Sexual Abuse is an evil act of violence against a child that takes a sexually form. It is an attempt by the powers of darkness to steal the soul of a child by corrupting the child's image and likeness of Our Lord -- his/her inner self, spirit and EGO (seat of hopes dreams and aspirations created as part of the child by God). You may be tempted here to label me as a crackpot etc. So be it.


I am an incest survivor. Between the ages of 4 and 9 I existed solely for the sexual pleasure of the adults in my life. My maternal grandparents and my parents all sexually abused me multiple times. My healing is based on uncovering the truths I have described above and living in the reality of these truths.


My main therapeutic at this time are meetings of Survivors of Incest Anonymous. As an attending I listen to others which helps me to reflect on my own experiences which I share at these meetings and publicly. By thus remembering and expressing every detail of my own experience, I am able to absorb the truth and thus become whole, that is, heal my inner self and ego that were corrupted by the abuse. These remain intact within the child who existed prior to the abuse. This is the therapeutic in general. It is important to remember that I am not a bad person nor do I have a disorder. I am a normal, moral person of high character, who has experienced abnormal traumatic events.


Thus in Catholic terms my therapeutic is nothing more than exposing the truth to the light.


I can further tell you, while honoring the confidentiality of group members that CSA is a staple of Satanic ritual in the United Sates.


With regard to my family as you mentioned above, no I do not want anything from my family. I have been divorced from my family of origin for 18 months now, and it is going well. My family of origin as is typical presents an image to the outside world of normalcy. I will no longer be a part of this facade which is designed to protect the perpetrators at the expense of the survivors.


They are supported in maintain this perception to the outside world of normalcy by the ontological view point that I have outline that is pervasive. They protect the perpetrator at the expense of the survivor. They do so by hiding the truth, and presenting an image of normalcy to the world. It is this lie that I will no longer participate in.


Again, what I am interested in the Church taking it's leadership role in changing the perceptive that supports the perpetrator at the expense of the survivor.


With regard to Monsignor Lynn, the Church should not be supporting the defense of a man who attempted to hide the wrong doing of evil men who become priests in order to have access to children. Additionally since the court attempted to apply a law retroactively to Monsignor Lynn's actions the appeal by the DA will probably fail. This does not absolve the Church from responsibility. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard.


Acknowledging the evil nature of CSA, the Archdiocese should recognize the wrongdoing of Monsignor Lynn and leave him to the civil authorities, without participating in his defense.


Pax Christ,
Fred Celio





Fred Celio
to: Archbishop Charles Chaput ,
info@la-archdiocese.org,
mediarelations@la-archdiocese.org,
"Fr. Paul G"

date: Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 12:09 AM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com


Childhood Sexual Abuse is an evil as profound as abortion. One kills a child in the womb. The other buries a child alive.







Archbishop Charles Chaput
to: Fred Celio

date: Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 1:09 AM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: chs-adphila.org
Fred, we have to respect every person's human rights and no one should be treated as secondary.
Christian charity and justice demand this. Helping everyone does not undermine anyone.
God Bless you.
+CJC


Fred Celio
to: Archbishop Charles Chaput

date: Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 6:27 AM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com




You have no idea what Im talking about do you? No evil men should not be supported. Particularly not in the Church that Jesus founded. You're on the won side, simple enough for you to grasp. Support the survivor not the perpetrators, again have put it in simple enough terms for you!


http://boztchividjian.religionnews.com/2014/01/02/beautiful-music-suffering-silence/





Pax Christi,
Fred








Fred Celio
to: Archbishop Charles Chaput ,
info@la-archdiocese.org,
mediarelations@la-archdiocese.org,
"Fr. Paul G"

date: Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 6:45 AM
subject: Re: Monsignor William Lynn from a survivor of Childhood Sexual abuse
mailed-by: gmail.com


It is ridiculous that Protestants would understand this before the office of Your Eminence.


Next time you see the Archbishop or forward this to him ask him this and forward his answer,


Your Eminence, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" If there were one question I could ask his Eminence that would be it. The diocese and the world await his answer.


I will not lie down
I will not go quietly
I will not submit
I will not roll over
I will not comply
I will not sit down
I will not shut up


Pax Christi,
Fred Celio






God bless you.
+cjc

The Church Museum or Hospital?

Protestants are fond of the saying: "The Church is not a Museum for Saints but a Hospital for Sinners. "

However they analogy misses the point and in fact is a reflection of misunderstanding, which is of course what Protestantism is.


The Catholic Church is neither museum nor hospital.  It is the Kingdom of God on earth. It is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It is it's own entity, thus there is no analogy. Saints heal and a statue or painting of their image helps us to remember and reflect on them. Indeed it also helps us to honor them. It is the kingdom of God on earth saying "well done good and faithful servant."  As the kingdom of God on earth "You are Peter and upon this rock I shall build my church I give to you the keys to the Kingdom, whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven to thus honor those who have transcended from God's earth bound kingdom to His heavenly Kingdom is perfectly appropriate and necessary. Thus the Kingdom of God/heaven on earth was founded by Jesus Himself and represents a junction a mystical union between the two Kingdoms -- the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth and the Kingdom of God/heaven in Heaven. This is how Our Lord fashioned it. To call the Church a museum or a hospital is to render it strictly earthly which is to miss the meaning of the word Church and what Jesus did -- what in fact his mission was that is to found his Kingdom on earth -- the Church. There are museums and there are hospitals and there is The Catholic Church there is no appropriate analogy.